Regional Rapid Rail Report
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REGIONAL RAPID RAIL Upper North Island Passenger Network © Chris Gin WWW.GREATERAUCKLAND.ORG.NZ CONTENTS Contents ........................................................... 2 Executive Summary ................................................... 3 Next Steps .......................................................... 6 Introduction ......................................................... 7 What is Regional Rapid Rail? ........................................... 15 Regional Rapid Rail Stages ............................................. 18 Stage 1 ............................................................. 19 Stage 2 ............................................................. 24 Stage 3 ............................................................. 32 Integration With Freight and Urban Public Transport Networks ............. 39 Regional Development and Liveable Towns – Not Just a Rapid Train ......... 43 Frameworks for Implementation ....................................... 47 Conclusion .......................................................... 49 Frequently Asked Questions ........................................... 50 Appendix – Stage 1 Operating Plan and Cost Data ......................... 52 Appendix – Stage 2 Operating Plan and Cost Data ......................... 56 Appendix – Stage 3 Operating Plan and Cost Data ......................... 61 Written and developed by Greater Auckland with grateful assistance from many others Principal authors: Harriet Gale and Nicolas Reid Layout and document design: Cornelius Blank © 2017 Greater Auckland Incorporated Society | www.greaterauckland.org 3 | REGIONAL RAPID RAIL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Greater Auckland is proud to present our of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, and extend the benefits of growth and development of the main centres proposal for Regional Rapid Rail – an Upper to their nearby towns and villages. This will provide North Island Passenger Network. fast and reliable travel options to regular commuters, business travellers, shoppers, students, local visitors and The “Golden Triangle” of Auckland, Waikato and the international tourists alike. Bay of Plenty now make up over 50% of New Zealand’s population, and are expected to account for over 70% of However, Regional Rapid Rail isn’t just a scheme for New Zealand’s growth in the future. If we fail to provide the commuter trains on the trunk line. It is an integrated necessary infrastructure, we will miss out on many of the regional economic development plan for the Upper benefits from this coming growth. North Island, based on fast and regular intercity train connections between the cities and towns of Auckland, the We need to provide a step change in intercity transit to Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. leverage this growth proactively, rather than reactively waiting for it to congest the Waikato Expressway and The proposal has four pillars for success: Auckland’s Southern Motorway. With the Waikato • Using the right technology to achieve speed and Expressway almost complete, what is missing is the performance affordably maximisation of the complementary rail corridors. Regional Rapid Rail is a three-stage proposal to upgrade the existing • Leveraging existing infrastructure trunk rail corridors for higher speed intercity trains. • Providing a frequent, reliable and regular service for all trip types The strategic goals of Regional Rapid Rail are to: • Integration with land use and development plans • Connect major employment and population centres • Deliver a fast and competitive rail service Three stages are proposed for Regional Rapid Rail, for successive investment and development over time. • Provide a regular and frequent rail service • Make complementary improvements to the rail freight The first stage is an interim, to be set up quickly and network inexpensively using existing trains running on the current • Assist the creation of affordable housing supply network. It is intended to build patronage and show the viability of regional intercity rail in the short term while • Link regional transportation to well-planned subsequent stages are being procured. communities with good urban outcomes • Integrate directly with local public transport, walking and The second stage represents an investment in new higher cycling networks speed tilting trains and network upgrades to create a truly regional network of rapid trains on three lines between • Reduce road traffic injury and deaths Auckland and Hamilton, Tauranga and Te Kuiti respectively. • Ensure value for money for taxpayer investment The third stage expands this network, extending the Regional Rapid Rail will revitalise the existing rail network lines across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty to Rotorua, using modern technology tilting trains travelling up to Cambridge and Te Puke. This stage further improves 160km/h on upgraded tracks. This will allow for much train speeds and journey times through infrastructure faster trains, providing quick and reliable journeys that developments and upgrades, creating a true higher speed are faster than driving and skip the traffic completely. network for the Upper North Island. This revitalised network will stitch together the economy 4 | REGIONAL RAPID RAIL A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 STAGE 1 Interim network B1 Britomart C1 Newmarket Ellerslie Otahuhu Three trains, existing Hamilton to Auckland in approximately D1 Papakura 96-seater Silver Fern units. 2 hours 15 minutes Pukekohe E1 Tuakau Pokeno Te Kauwhata F1 Auckland to Tauranga in approximately Huntly Two peak and three Ngaruawahia 3 hours 30 minutes G1 Te Rapa Hamilton Tauranga interpeak services Frankton Morrinsville Waharoa Central H1 each way on weekdays, Eight new stations – basic but fit for purpose reduced weekend service. I1 Potentially 350,000 passengers / year One return service per J1 day to Tauranga. Estimated Capital cost: $10m K1 L1 Estimated Subsidy: $2m / year for five years M1 W Waikato line Southern line (Auckland suburban) B Bay of Plenty line Other rapid transit connections K King Country line Daily or twice-daily serivce only Regional Rapid Rail G Geyserland line International airport A regional network of rapid intercity rail lines to connect the peoples and economies of the upper North Island. Developed by Greater Auckland. A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 STAGE 2 Investment in Efficiency and Performance B1 Auckland Central C1 Aotea Manukau Newmarket Ellerslie Puhinui higher speed Hamilton to Auckland in approximately Auckland Airport Seventeen D1 Papakura dual mode diesel and 1 hour 30 minutes Pukekohe E1 Tuakau Pokeno electric tilt trains, 300 Te Kauwhata Auckland to Tauranga in approximately F1 seated passengers per train. Huntly 2 hours 30 minutes Ngaruawahia G1 Te Rapa Hamilton Tauranga Central Morrinsville Waharoa Central Three lines with regular New stations and network-wide track H1 I1 service between Auckland improvements Te Awamutu and Hamilton, Tauranga J1 Otorohanga Potentially 3.5m passengers per year and Te Kuiti. Waitomo K1 Estimated Capital cost: $400m Te Kuiti L1 Estimated Operating Subsidy: $0 M1 To Palmerston North and Wellington W Waikato line Southern line (Auckland suburban) B Bay of Plenty line Other rapid transit connections K King Country line Daily or twice-daily serivce only Regional Rapid Rail G Geyserland line International airport A regional network of rapid intercity rail lines to connect the peoples and economies of the upper North Island. Developed by Greater Auckland. A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 Future Expansion and Extension B1 STAGE 3 Auckland Central C1 Aotea Manukau Newmarket Puhinui Ellerslie Thirty-two higher speed Hamilton to Auckland approximately Auckland Airport D1 Papakura dual mode diesel and 1 hour 10 minutes Pukekohe E1 Tuakau Pokeno electric tilt trains, 300 Te Kauwhata Auckland to Tauranga in approximately F1 seated passengers per train. Huntly Ngaruawahia 2 hours G1 Te Rapa Hamilton Tauranga Central Morrinsville Waharoa Central H1 Four lines with a regular, Regional signalling upgrade and Bombay Papamoa Beach Matangi Matamata Te Puke I1 Te Awamutu frequent service between deviation tunnel Cambridge Tirau Putaruru J1 Otorohanga Auckland and Cambridge, Rotorua Potentially 6m passengers per year Waitomo Rotorua, Te Puke and K1 Te Kuiti, via Hamilton Te Kuiti Estimated Capital cost: $1.45b L1 and Auckland. M1 Estimated Operating profit:$10m+ per year To Palmerston North and Wellington W Waikato line Southern line (Auckland suburban) B Bay of Plenty line Other rapid transit connections K King Country line Daily or twice-daily serivce only Regional Rapid Rail G Geyserland line International airport A regional network of rapid intercity rail lines to connect the peoples and economies of the upper North Island. Developed by Greater Auckland. 5 | REGIONAL RAPID RAIL THE “GOLDEN TRIANGLE” The following is a schematic showing the Stage 3 network overlaid on a population density map of the Upper North Island. At this stage, more than half of the population and economy of New Zealand would be served by the Regional Rapid Rail Network. 6 | REGIONAL RAPID RAIL NEXT STEPS Government, NZTA Auckland Council, Waikato & and KiwiRail Auckland Transport Bay of Plenty Councils & CRL Limited Identify NZTA or KiwiRail as the lead Ensure planned re-development of Work with the relevant entity and entity for developing Regional Rapid Britomart, Otahuhu, and Puhinui new Urban Development Authority Rail (RRR) stations are suitable for frequent, to progress land use planning and long distance passenger services re-development