There was some great news to come out of yesterday’s Auckland Transport board meeting (though it’s a pity they haven’t bothered to include any detail of what was discussed at the meeting on their website yet ). That news is that the board has agreed in principle to complete an upgrade of all existing train stations in the Auckland region by the time electrification is up and running – which now seems like it might be early 2014.
Here’s part of a media release from Auckland Transport:
Auckland Transport has supported in principle the fast tracking of rail stations upgrade to ensure they are all complete when electric trains are introduced.
The Auckland Transport board will be discussing funding implications at a future meeting before confirming the upgrade programme.
One of the first major upgrades would be Mt Albert Station, which would be complete by April 2012. Fifteen stations across the rail network would be upgraded in a $38.9 million project over three years.
The first full station upgrades to be completed would be at Remuera and Penrose stations both due for completion by the last quarter of 2011 closely followed by Green Lane in the first quarter of 2012…
… Auckland Transport Chief Executive David Warburton says as each upgraded station opens the demand for higher quality stations at other sites increases.
“The original rail station upgrade programme outlined four station redevelopments to be complete by 2014. But it is clear that we need to upgrade all the remaining stations within the future electrified network area prior to completion of the electrification programme.
“It is also important to have high quality stations across the network in preparation for arrival of new electric trains, which will be delivered in 2013.
“Full station upgrades will include refurbished platforms, new shelters, CCTV, lighting and PA systems, help points, and new signage. Some stations which have already been upgraded will also have some work carried out for electrification or to provide CCTV and lighting.
“Providing high quality stations with good security is key to encouraging more people onto public transport,” Mr Warburton says.
This is certainly fantastic news – and I would suggest that there’s plenty of money available for such an upgrade to occur, with Auckland Council spending around $300 million on new roads a year it wouldn’t take much change in that funding package to complete this station upgrade work.
Another thing that’s mentioned in the media release is that a new Parnell station is to be included at some stage. Arguments around the best location for the Parnell station have been well-made previously, but one thing that worries me about the station in general (no matter where it’s put) is what impact it might have on rail operations.
What I mean by this is that prior to completing the CBD Rail Tunnel there will be an enormous burden on the Newmarket to Britomart section of railway track: carrying up to 14 trains per hour in each direction and sitting between two fairly complex track junctions (Newmarket and Quay Park). While I’m hopeful the details could be worked out to ensure placing a station along this sensitive bit of track won’t impact reliability and service provision levels, I think this is something that probably needs to be looked into in quite some detail. While Parnell Station would certainly provide significant benefits – particularly if it can also serve as a university station – if it comes at the cost of a reliable rail system or at the cost of rail capacity into Britomart, then it might be smarter to wait until the CBD Tunnel is completed.
That’s a bit of an aside in any respect. The overall announcement is very good and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing upgrades to critical stations like Mt Albert and Otahuhu that have been horrifically neglected in recent years.
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good news about the stations. it is a start. living in Tokyo, what mystifies me is why people in Auckland think suburban railway stations are un-peopled platforms with a bit of lighting and shelter. in other cities, stations are a focal point for all sorts of amenities. hopefully the busier ones will see thousands of people a day passing through them. surely this is a huge opportunity to offer commercial and public ameinities and services, retail, etc.
oh, and re the Parnell issue, between the introduction of electric trains and the completion of the tunnel link, won’t it become necessary to terminate/commence some trains at Newmarket during peak times?
I think it depends on how many trains they wish to run. Britomart can handle a train every 10 minutes from the Eastern, Southern and Western lines plus half-hourly from Onehunga. That’s the most it can handle and I don’t believe electrification is intended to provide frequencies greater than that.
If we were to increase frequencies beyond that level then some trains will have to not travel via Britomart. I think half-hourly West to South services at peak times might be needed prior to the CBD tunnel opening (and potentially after it opens to provide a direct west to Newmarket link).
Auckland Transport have definitely been making some good moves with many transport issues and seem to be showing the benefit of having all transport operations in one place. Jon C at AKT posted a list of the costs of doing this before and after electrification is finished and it would have cost about $10m more to do it later so I think AT are also trying to be more efficient with their money.
pity the only thing that Auckland Transport has listened to the council on is Parnell station.
Apart from that they’re doing well.
Interesting that at the bottom of an article in the Herald today AT have said Onehunga patronage is higher than expected at 850 passengers a day, hopefully that spurs them on to increasing the frequencies where they can, especially in the sholder peak periods.
Luke have a careful look at the walking routes from the proposed Parnell Station to the University. There really isn’t much in it between the two sites. The fact remains that neither are really handy but either are better than Britomart. I think the chosen site will allow for better station amenity and offers development potential and a better walk to the Domain/Museum as well as better integration with Parnell itself. On balance I do think it is the right choice and adds no more than 100m to the walk to the Alten rd intersection.
Improvement in to getting across the Strand, especially in winter would do a lot to help make this a well used stop for students- a covered bridge directly from the station?. I predict this station is going to be well used by a variety of people and help grow the use of the network.
If I had a business in Parnell i would be trying hard to make sure that there are buses that link to the network out in Remuera etc to help make this stop accessible to their kind of market….
Patrick, it adds over 300m to the walk to have the station up the gully by the sheds. Also thats an extra 300m they appear to want to route around Carlaw park, meaning a 300m walk along the bush at the arse end of the Domain. Not very nice for anyone concerned, especially not after dark.
The site just before the overbridge on the other hand is in an elevated position right in an urbanised area, with only about a hundred metres to the intersection along a new street.