The coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, aimed at delivering more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island.
The funding agreement involves the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the key benefits of the investment includes a fleet of 18 four-car units, totalling 72 cars, and the doubling of peak services on both lines with additional off-peak services. The improvements are expected to result in a 15-minute travel time savings for commuters traveling between Wellington and Masterton and increased speeds on the Wairarapa line from 90km/h to 110km/h.
“Delivering reliable, effective, and efficient public transport is a priority for our Government. We campaigned on delivering the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility Programme (LNIRIM) to improve service reliability, provide more travel choices for commuters, and reduce congestion on our roads,” Brown says.
Brown emphasised the need to replace the current aged locomotive-hauled train fleet, which is reaching the end of its service life after years of under-investment and delays for commuters. “Our Government’s investment will enable new rolling stock and upgrades to existing infrastructure to improve rail services for those traveling around the lower North Island. Delivering commuters more efficient and reliable travel options will increase productivity, support economic growth, and enable Kiwis to get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.”
LNIRIM is a major public transport project listed in the Government Policy Statement on land transport and part of a broader plan to improve rail services across New Zealand. In addition to this investment, the Budget 2024 allocates $266.9m to upgrade and maintain metropolitan rail networks in Auckland and Wellington and $200m to support KiwiRail in maintenance and renewals of the national rail network.
The Government is also reviewing the Metropolitan Rail Operating Model (MROM) to develop “a more sustainable funding model for metropolitan rail”, Brown says.
