You asked - we answered. Here's some more information about the Wellington works this Easter and ANZAC period.
Q: Will the Wellington metro lines be closed during school holidays in the future?
A: The Johnsonville line is closed from 13 April to after the end of ANZAC weekend so we can get a big chunk of work done while lots of people are away for the school holidays, especially with the two long weekends falling so closely together.
Holiday and long weekends are typically used to carry out major works when there are less people commuting. Sometimes these coincide with school holidays. It's a good idea to check the Metlink website for changes to timetables, which also includes any times when buses replace trains.
Q: Why is there so much disruption to passengers?
A: We appreciate that it's frustrating to have the trains out of action. Last year KiwiRail was given a boost in funding to address overdue renewals and maintenance across the whole network so we have a lot of work on the go. It’s overdue and has to be done to keep services running, and once complete will help things to move more freely.
Q: Could you get the work done overnight instead of having to have long shut down periods?
A: We continue to do overnight work through the year, but we really need chunks of time set aside with no trains running to do the more complex jobs. Minor maintenance is done at night, but we’re also mindful that much of the network is next to urban areas and we have to be considerate neighbours. We have a big work programme on this year following a boost in government funding for overdue renewal work. There will always be the need for maintenance, but once we’re through the big stuff we’re expecting disruptions to lessen.
Q: What work is happening on the Kapiti line – there have been speed restrictions in place north of Tawa Station for a long time.
A: We have general maintenance happening around Porirua, plus slope stabilisation work around Pukerua Bay, and also heavy maintenance around Paekākāriki. You can see information about speed restrictions here. Temporary speed restrictions are put in place for a number of reasons, but generally they are there so that we can carry out work on the line, and they are always to do with safety. The speed restriction at Tawa is due to come off in the near future.
Q: What forward planning goes into your maintenance work, and could better planning mean less lengthy shutdowns?
A: Planning starts up to 18 months in advance in some cases, and is done with Metlink (Greater Wellington), who run the metro train service. As much as possible we avoid times when there are big events happening in the city, or when the closure is going to have an impact on peak service times. That’s why we schedule shutdowns around public holidays.