6 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, Auckland 0612
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Ph 09 355 3553
Fax 09 355 3550
22 November 2016
Harriet Gale
[FYI request #4839 email]
Dear Harriet
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)
CAS-432585-S8M8M4
Thank you for contacting Auckland Transport (AT) on 25 October 2016 requesting the following information:
“What is the reason that Platform 2 at Newmarket cannot be used, and has any investigation taken place
to better utilise platform 2.”
Auckland Transport can confirm that platform 2 is currently not in use for health and safety reasons related to
how the door control system was designed and configured on the current fleet of trains. At present, although the
doors can be opened on the right, or left hand side independently, the door close system works on both sides of
the train at once, thus closing all bar the Local Door.
In normal circumstances the Train Manager (TM) will open the doors on one side of the train. At the time of
departure the TM places a key in the doorway they are operating from. This door then becomes the Local Door
and remains open once the TM has ensured that it is safe to do so and has closed all of the other doors on the
train. By keeping the Local Door open, the TM is then able to undertake the second, mandatory safety check to
ensure that no one is trapped in any of the doors and that it is safe for the train to depart. Once this assurance
has been gained the TM can then close their Local Door and give the departure signal to the Driver.
At Newmarket, if the train is standing with the doors open on both sides and the TM is working from their Local
Door on Platform 3, once they have undertaken their first safety check on Platform 3, the TM presses the Door
Close button from their ‘Local Door’ (which is located on the Platform 3 side of the train) the door system
automatically closes all of the doors on both sides of the train, aside from the Local Door.
This means the doors on Platform 2 could potentially close on or trap a customer as no safety check has been
made. Additionally, although the TM is able to make the mandatory second safety check on Platform 3, there
would be no doors open on the Platform 2 for the TM to ensure that it was safe for the train to depart.
This, of course is not a safe method of operation and is not permitted. This situation has been recognised as an
issue by both Auckland Transport and Transdev and thus Platform 2 at Newmarket has never been formally
commissioned, is not equipped with Passenger Information Display and is not included within the Transdev
Railway Safety Case as an operational platform.
AT are working with Transdev, KiwiRail and NZTA to agree a safe method of operating, to support the
commissioning of Platform 2.
www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz
Any investigations would have to include, but is not limited to:
A review of Departure sequencing from Newmarket.
An understanding of how this may affect Timetable resiliency, Station Dwell Time, and Terminal Congestion.
Signal sighting requirements from P2
Installation of, and upgrade to, a number of required Signalling and Public
After these, and other identified requirements have been satisfactorily concluded, Transdev Auckland, would be
required to submit a variation to their safety Case for approval from the regulatory bodies.
We trust the above information has addressed the matters raised however, should you believe that we have not
responded appropriately to your request, you have the right in accordance with section 27(3) of the LGOIMA to
make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman to seek an investigation and review in regard to this matter.
If you have any further queries please contact Auckland Transport on 09 355 3553 quoting Official Information
request number CAS-432585-S8M8M4.
Yours sincerely
Brendon Main
Group Manager AT Metro Operation
www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz
