Budget 2024: $267m to fix 'disturbing' passenger train problems

The Government will invest hundreds of millions to help fix "disturbing" reliability problems with metro train services in Auckland and Wellington, including $159 million to finish the supercity's rail rebuild project.

Around $107 million would be spent on "overdue" track renewals in the major centres over the next two years. Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the money would improve the safety and reliability of passenger trains.

Brown said: "In recent years, we have seen a disturbing number of speed reductions and delays on the lines in Auckland and Wellington."

"Fully funding the completion of the Auckland rail network rebuild supports the opening of the City Rail Link by increasing the reliability of the line and wherever possible removing speed restrictions that limit the operation of services."

Commuter fury has followed the highly-publicised breakdowns on the Auckland and Wellington networks over the past two years.

KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said he was "thankful for this healthy investment".

"Historically metro maintenance has been underfunded, creating a backlog of renewals work that has resulted in faults and issues that cause disruption for commuters," he said.

"The rail network rebuild in Auckland is addressing the highest priority issues and is crucial for allowing more frequent trains across the city once the City Rail Link opens.

"We have already completed rebuild work on the core network, and the funding in Budget 2024 will allow us to finish the job, replacing ageing track foundations and improving drainage on the outer parts of the metro network," he said.

Cost blowouts in earlier stages of the rebuild meant the rail agency was seeking funding to finish the project, which has involved intensive multi-month closures of line sections.

Additionally, the Government has announced it will assist in helping cover Auckland and Wellington councils' contributions to track maintenance over the next financial year.

Reidy said: "I appreciate the financial pressure on councils and that they have struggled to meet the full rail costs in recent years — but it does put limits on the maintenance work KiwiRail can do.

"The Government's addition to the council contribution in Budget 2024, while [a] review is ongoing, will help ensure we can do the required work this coming financial year."

The KiwiRail boss also "welcomed" additional funding for the national rail network.

"The $200 million top-up for the rail network investment programme lifts the next two years of committed funding for the national network to around $900 million, meaning similar levels of funding to now will continue," Reidy said.

Meanwhile, Greater Wellington chairman Daran Ponter said he was grateful the Government had recognised investment was required in the Wellington metropolitan rail network.

Ponter said the "critical Crown-owned asset" needed to brought up to standard after years of under-investment.

"The increase is good news for rail users, but we know the Crown's network still needs considerable, sustained investment in renewals to make it a modern and dependable transport asset."

Greater Wellington transport chairman Thomas Nash was of a similar mind.

"We're delighted KiwiRail has received additional funding for renewals, but we fear it won't be enough to prevent critical Crown rail assets from failing in the next few years — given the degraded state of the network."

"We'll continue to work with the Government to find additional funding pathways to support the necessary renewals on the Government's rail network," he added.

"Given the scale of investment required, and the importance of rail infrastructure to the wider Wellington Region, it makes sense for the cost of renewing this national asset to be borne by the Government."

The total Budget investment into rail was $466 million.

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