Today the government and the Greater Wellington Regional Council have announced another major upgrade of the commuter rail network, completing a project started under the last Labour government to deliver Wellingtonians the quality, reliable public transport options that they deserve.
The latest package includes $88 million from government to complete the upgrade of the signalling and tracks, and a commitment by the Greater Wellington Regional Council to takeover and refurbish the 30 year old Ganz Mavag trains at a cost of $80 million. GW will then own all the trains, maintain all of the stations, and pay a fee for access to the tracks, offset by a central government subsidy.
For the past couple of years, residents of the Hutt Valley, Johnsonville, Porirua, and the Kapiti Coast have put up with frustrating delays, breakdowns and cancellations as the upgrading work has been going on. Some of it was avoidable, but some of it just reflects the fact that under privatisation our rail services were badly neglected and there is a huge backlog of upgrading and maintenance work to get through, a task made all the more difficult by the need to keep the trains running while it happens.
I’m pleased that the rail upgrade is going to be completed, but I’ll be very concerned if GW increases fares in order to pay for their share. Wellington rail commuters have already been hit with increased fares and the improved service they have been promised hasn’t yet eventuated. I don’t think commuters should be asked to stomach another fare increase until the problems are fixed and the service is more reliable.
