First permanent Wairarapa level crossing closure coming soon

Two of Carterton’s level crossings will close permanently to traffic later this year, as part of the Wairarapa Line safety upgrade. 

Victoria Street will close in mid-September, followed by Rhodes Street in November 2025. 

The closures are part of KiwiRail’s level crossing safety upgrade, making the line ready for faster and more frequent services that will come with the arrival of new hybrid-electric trains in 2029. 

“With more services travelling at quicker speeds, it’s crucial that we minimise risk around level crossings,” says Programme Director Andy Lyon. 

“Victoria and Rhodes Streets will turn into ‘pedestrian only’ crossings.  They’ll consist of a protected walkway with signals and gates that only let people through when the coast is clear.” 

Work installing new safety features at other level crossings in Carterton is at different stages.  KiwiRail is currently working at Belvedere Road and will be there until the end of the month.  When Belvedere is done, work will move to the Pembroke Road crossing, which is expected to take until November to complete. Civil works are finished at Kent Street and Brooklyn Road.  

“All the level crossings on the Wairarapa line are getting pedestrian mazes that create a clear and protected path over railway tracks, as well as separating people from cars. 

“Once the new signaling system gets installed and switched on early 2027, the pedestrian gates and the vehicle barrier arms that come down across the road, will be fully functional at every crossing.

“Meanwhile it’s critical that people always look for trains, every crossing, every time,” Andy Lyon says.     

Decisions about level crossing upgrades and closures on the line were made early 2024 following an independent region-wide report.  Four crossings in total will close – these two in Carterton along with Bell and Brandon Streets in South Wairarapa. 

Level crossing works at a glance: