Transport regulators have banned KiwiRail from operating its Te Huia passenger train service into central Auckland due to two safety incidents.
The service normally runs between Hamilton and The Strand in Auckland's Parnell, but will now be replaced by buses from Papakura Station for the rest of this week.
Waka Kotahi said KiwiRail has reported two incidents this year where train drivers on Te Huia ran red lights — including one yesterday morning.
The agency's land transport director Neil Cook said the Section 28 prohibition notice is "crucial to ensure the ongoing safety" of Auckland's rail network.
"The prohibition order will be lifted by Waka Kotahi after KiwiRail has provided satisfactory evidence of the measures taken to ensure that the safety risks have been adequately mitigated," he said.
"We understand that this will cause disruption for people using this service, and we don’t take decisions like this lightly, but we consider that prompt action is crucial to ensure the ongoing safety of everyone using the Auckland Metro rail network."
Waikato Regional Council committee deputy chair Angela Strange said the restriction of the service to a station on the outskirts of Auckland was "bitterly disappointing".
"Today’s outcome is bitterly disappointing considering recently released performance results that showed Te Huia was on track to meet two-year patronage targets," she said.
"Figures for April 2023 showed an average of 321 passengers each weekday, reaching the year two one-way demand goal of 320 passengers per weekday.
“Adding services and enhancements has always been part of our plan to scale up patronage over time.
"It’s extremely frustrating that we are now back to stopping the service in Papakura.
"We recognise that this will impact our loyal passengers who rely on this service and those planning to try it for the first time.”
KiwiRail operations executive manager Paul Ashton apologised to passengers and the Waikato Regional Council — which established the service.
"We realise the disruption this may cause for our passengers, and we apologise to them and to Waikato Regional Council," he said in a media release.
“For the rest of this week, there will be bus replacements between The Strand, Puhinui and Papakura, and customers will not be charged for this bus replacement service.
"Next week, we will be running the service to Papakura. Customers will then need to connect into an Auckland Transport service using a HOP Card to continue, as they did when Te Huia first launched in April 2021.
"Waka Kotahi has imposed the restriction following an incident in the Auckland Metro Network three weeks ago that saw Te Huia pass a stop signal near Penrose.
"There was also a minor incident yesterday where Te Huia, which was not carrying passengers at the time, overran a signal just north of Hamilton. There were no other train movements in this area, and it was outside the Auckland metro region."
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