Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/33810-northland-rail-line-beyond-kauri on February 26, 2026 16:12

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Northland Rail Line beyond Kauri

Andrew Jones made this Official Information request to KiwiRail

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From: Andrew Jones

Dear KiwiRail,

Can you provide an update as works for the upgrade between Kauri & Otiria, as since 2023 no work has been witnessed on the line, and while concrete sleepers have been placed along the line, in many places no further work has been completed.

Given that along the line it has been noticed that many of the weeds have returned, and in some places that trees have are started to grow in the trackbed, what is the timeline for the upgrades to the track and how much of the allocated money has been spent, and how much money remains for the upgrades to the line moving forward.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Jones

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From: Dave Allard
KiwiRail

Attachment image001.png
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Good afternoon Andrew,

 

The planned rail upgrades between Kauri and Otiria are currently paused,
pending the Government's decision about building the Marsden Point Rail
Link (MPRL). Reopening the mothballed line was added to the MPRL project
business case in 2024 - see more in the press release we put out at the
time.

[1]https://www.kiwirail.co.nz/media/rail-up...

This does mean that the budgeted spend, and any further allocations are
subject to further decisions on the line.

 

However, we have completed the stormwater improvement works to the Otiria
rail yard, and have carried out track / bridge inspections to get an
understanding of the state of the infrastructure assets between Kauri and
Otiria.

 

KiwiRail submitted an updated detailed business case to build the MPRL /
reopen Kauri - Otiria to the Government in July 2025. At the request of
the Rail Minister, we then explored market interest in the design,
construction, operation, funding, and/or ownership of the MPRL and
launched an Expression of Interest process. The outcome of that process
will be reported to the Minister in the coming months.

 

Essentially Kauri - Otiria and the MPRL are dependent on Government
funding decisions. The stock piles of concrete sleepers between Kauri and
Otiria have remained in place, pending a decision.

 

Thanks,

 

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

[2]Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01D46098.E77643D0

[3]www.kiwirail.co.nz

 

 

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