Director Appointed to Spearhead Auckland’s Rail Project

9 December 2002

Auckland’s plan to provide commuters with a modern rail service has come a step closer with the appointment of a Rail Project Director.

Mrs Elena Trout has been jointly appointed Rail Project Director by the Auckland Regional Council and the Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd (ARTNL), the local authority enterprise owned by the six councils responsible for the rail corridor network. She will take up her position early in the new year.

Elena Trout has worked most recently as Group Manager at Serco Group NZ Ltd: Serco Professional Solutions. She has also worked as an independent consultant providing services to the transport industry and acted as project manager for the ALPURT project on behalf of Serco Group NZ. She is a civil engineer and has a degree in biotechnology. During her career she has worked in both the private and public sectors including at Kingett Mitchell and Associates (resource and environmental planners), Methanex NZ Ltd and the Ministry of Works and Development.

She said she is looking forward to leading a combined ARC and ARTNL group on the rail project and to providing practical experience to help take the rail project forward. She welcomed the delivery of Auckland’s first refurbished train on 20 December.

“The rail project is already starting to deliver with the first stage of the modern rail system coming on-stream in the middle of next year with Britomart’s opening.”

Auckland Regional Council and ARTNL CEOs Jo Brosnahan and Martin Gummer welcomed the appointment saying Elena Trout is the right person to progress the rail project as a vital part of Auckland’s regional transport strategy.

“We are confident the Rail Project will proceed well under Elena Trout’s experience and management,” they said. “This is another step towards our vision of providing Aucklanders with a passenger transport system they will choose to use.”

ENDS

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