Good evening Isaac

Please find our response below.

Temporary Speed Restrictions (TSRs) are a standard maintenance tool used internationally to keep trains operating safely. They are regularly being imposed and removed from the network as issues are discovered and resolved. Some TSRs can be on for a day (eg. issue discovered in the morning then repaired that night) or for longer period of time (eg. requires more invasive work/line closure/significant funding and programming into a work bank).

Also, TSR's aren't always applied because of issues that are found . Certain maintenance and renewal activities may also require a TSR to be applied on completion of works to allow for a consolidation/settlement period of new formation and ballast as rail tonnage passes over it.

KiwiRail has been focussed on reducing TSRs on the network this year. In January there were about 8km of TSRs on the Auckland metro network. There are currently about 4km of TSRs on the network.

KiwiRail has KPIs for the amount of TSRs on parts of the network. Currently, the only areas where we are not meeting KPIs is:
. Wiri to Westfield on the Southern Line (delaying services by about 58 seconds) - due to formation and drainage issues, particularly through Middlemore.
. Newmarket to Britomart (delaying services by about 1 minute 26 seconds) - weather related issues following the extreme weather event in January 2023 and formation issues in Parnell tunnel, which requires an extensive closure to remediate.

It's important to note that these are both areas where Rail Network Rebuild (RNR) work has yet to be carried out. Completing RNR, which was funded by the Government in Budget 2024, is currently being planned.
The 40km/h TSR between Greenlane and Remuera was implemented on both up and down mains in early May due to a partially collapsed Auckland Council stormwater pipe under the rail corridor and motorway. Auckland Council has prioritized this as Emergency Works and has been conducting inspection, survey, and design work for repairs. KiwiRail has supported the process to review design and repair methodologies, seeking to minimize disruption to the rail network.
You may have noticed rail fencing (known as Vortok) installed in the area recently, in preparation for repair work to begin on Monday, 19th August.
We will be carrying out a lot of work across Auckland over the next 18 months, including in the two areas bulleted above, to upgrade the network and further reduce TSRs. This is crucial work to deliver more frequent services when the City Rail Link opens, expected in 2026.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dave

Dave Allard  | Senior Government Relations Advisor
DDI: 027 201 8182
Level 4, Wellington Railway Station, Bunny Street, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 593, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

www.kiwirail.co.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Isaac Morrison <[FOI #28047 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2024 12:47 PM
To: KiwiRail <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Speed Restrictions and Network Rebuild

CAUTION EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe.

Dear KiwiRail,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inquire about the current speed restrictions that are in place on the Auckland Metro network. Firstly, I would like to know the locations on the network that still have speed restrictions, the reasons why they are in place, and any plans for their removal. While I am interested in all locations, I am particularly curious about the restrictions between Remuera and Greenlane. Considering this section of track was recently rebuilt in March last year, why are these restrictions put in to effect?

Additionally, given the Government's additional funding, which is a relief to see, are there any plans to fully repair the rest of the network, especially the remaining sections of the Western line and the portion of track between Newmarket and Parnell? I have heard that the Parnell Tunnel is in terrible condition following the recent flooding, and this section of track is currently operating at a painfully slow speed.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,
Isaac Morrison

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