MEDIA RELEASE

4 July 2003

Start of final track and signalling work
for Britomart to begin

Engineers will begin work today connecting train tracks between the Britomart Transport Centre and the existing rail corridor system. Weather permitting, the link is expected to be completed by early Monday morning to allow the first train to downtown Auckland in over 70 years.

The connection work requires at least 57 hours to complete. Engineers have to cut through a platform at the old Auckland railway station, lay 100 metres of track and cable, and connect and test signalling systems.

The weather forecast is not ideal for the weekend, and engineers are wary of Auckland’s fickle climate. If it rains heavily, work will have to stop.

“We have carefully assessed the weather conditions and we have decided to go ahead with the work,” says Grant Kirby, Auckland City Council’s Britomart Project Director. “We will try our best to have the job done on time but all will depend on the weather.”

Councillor Catherine Harland, Auckland Regional Council's Passenger Transport Committee Chairperson, expressed her delight at taking yet another small step toward delivering an improved regional passenger transport network. "Let's hope the weather holds and there are no technical glitches," says Councillor Harland.

Councillor Greg McKeown, Auckland City's Transport Committee Chairperson, says: "We're all looking forward to the first train arriving at Britomart. It will be a major event for passenger transport. I wish the engineers all the best for a safe and timely completion of the track and signalling."

The work will start at 8pm tonight after the Northerner train arrives from Wellington.

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