More Te Huia train services between Hamiton and Auckland are on the way, and they will be trialled sooner than planned, after a groundswell of public support.
Waikato Regional councillors decided yesterday it would be trialling an inter-peak service for 12 months after submissions to its 10-year long-term plan to 2031 showed many were in favour of improving the service sooner than the proposed 2023 timeframe.
Of those 1240 submissions, 95 per cent were in favour of improving the commuter service.
Once in place, it will extend service times beyond the current weekday 5.45am and 6.30am services from Hamilton to Papakura in Auckland, and the return 4.45pm and 6.25pm services.
Any improvements won’t happen until at least December this year because work and costs needed to be worked out before it could be implemented, the regional council said.
Councillors also approved extending the Saturday Te Huia services to The Strand in central Auckland, which would cost about $10,000 a year. No start date for this has been confirmed by council.
The commuter service currently operates on some Saturdays.
Te Huia services began in April. Since its unveiling, it has drawn mixed reviews, with some Hamilton residents telling 1 NEWS the length of the journey would be longer than their normal commute.
Te Huia takes around an hour and a half from Auckland to Papakura, where people heading on to Auckland's CBD then need to transfer for another hour-long trip to Britomart.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in April there was a clear need for the train.
"We fully expect that over time we'll build patronage and bring passengers,” she said.
Patronage had reportedly picked up since then.
A formal review of the service will take place in two years.
The service has received a $85.8 million investment through NZTA, with the local council providing $12.2 million.
About 8000 people commute between Auckland and Waikato each day.
SHARE ME