Paraparaumu double-tracking progressing

Preparatory work for double-tracking and electrification of the railway line from McKays Crossing to Waikanae will begin within the next few months.

Double-tracking and electrification is due to be completed by 2010, at the same time as 70 new electric trains are introduced to Metlink – Greater Wellington’s public transport network.

The reliability and frequency of trains on the Paraparaumu line will be improved greatly by this work.

Work will also begin later this year on increasing the height of some of the tunnels on the Johnsonville line to accommodate the new electric trains. The rails will be lifted up while the floor of the tunnels is excavated and then re-laid on the lower floor. The nature of this work will require a section of the line, or the whole line, to be closed for a period. Commuters will receive plenty of notice before this happens.

Three new trolley buses are now on the road in Wellington City. The buses are hard to miss, as two of them have very distinctive Kiwi livery. The buses are modern, bigger and fully accessible for disabled passengers. The new fleet of 61 buses is being introduced gradually, with three or four new buses taking to our roads each month until the end of 2009.

More information about these projects, and other recent developments on the Metlink public transport network, are available in the latest Metlink News, out now.

You can download a copy from our Metlink website or pick one up from your local Metlink outlet.