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Auckland traffic: Hopes train system will cope with peak travel tonight after earlier woes

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Auckland Transport says its trains will be running as usual – hopefully – for the evening commute home.

But delays and cancellations after a track issue this morning could remain.

That was the case with some routes, with signs at Britomart saying the system was experiencing some delays.

Earlier a spokeswoman for Auckland Transport (AT) said the Onehunga line, which this morning saw all services cancelled, would also be running by rush hour.

But Auckland Transport director public transport and active modes Stacey van der Putten said delays are expected to continue on the city’s commuter rail network, and there maybe some cancellations throughout the day, following this morning’s cancellations.

She said the infrastructure issue was a points issue at Britomart.

AT say the full rail timetable will be operating during peak travel.

The Onehunga Line and Southern Line have both been reinstated in full. There were some short delays, of 10 minutes or less, across the Western and Eastern lines as of 1.30pm.

Platform 3 at Britomart will be out of service until further notice but is a spare platform. And AT said there was a plan to replace a faulty controller during night works tonight.

Van der Putten also said during a council transport meeting that KiwiRail KR had identified a fix and that will be happening tonight.

“It’s rather frustrating for Aucklanders,” van der Putten said.

Train commuters were this morning being told to expect delays or find alternative transportation options.

Auckland Transport (AT) issued a travel alert just before 9am, telling people to “plan ahead”.

“Buses are currently accepting train tickets – see AT Journey Planner for alternative transportation options,” the agency said.

9.30am update

The platform displays at the Newmarket Train Station show an empty schedule. Photo / Michael Craig
The platform displays at the Newmarket Train Station show an empty schedule. Photo / Michael Craig

An update at 9.30am said the Onehunga Line services are cancelled until further notice.

A woman on a train on the Eastern Line said: “I’m sitting on a train just outside Britomart, not moving. [The] first announcement said it was due to congestion at Britomart.

“[The] second announcement said there was a points issue at Britomart and expect to be heavily delayed.”

A train manager apologised to passengers, saying: “The transport network has decided to do what it usually does and delay us all getting to work.”

Passengers stand around at the Newmarket Train Station. There are delays on all Auckland train line services today due to an infrastructure issue. Photo / Michael Craig
Passengers stand around at the Newmarket Train Station. There are delays on all Auckland train line services today due to an infrastructure issue. Photo / Michael Craig

Another passenger on a Western Line train from Swanson, West Auckland, says she had been made to get off her train at Parnell.

“We were told there was an issue in the Britomart tunnel and, eventually, the driver told us he had been instructed to offload passengers at Parnell.”





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