Construction begins on Wiri rail exchange

Ports of Auckland claim the project will reduce the number of trucks on Auckland's motorway system. Photo / Martin Sykes

Traffic congestion may soon be eased across central Auckland.

Work got underway today on construction of a rail exchange at Ports of Auckland's Wiri Inland Port in south Auckland.

Jointly funded by KiwiRail and Ports of Auckland, the exchange will connect the 15 hectare Wiri Inland Port with the national rail network and provide a direct link to the Waitemata seaport.

The rail link is forecast to eventually save up to 2.5 million truck kilometres per year - the equivalent of 100,000 cross-town Auckland truck trips.

Speaking at a sod-turning ceremony to mark the start of work on the project, KiwiRail chairman Jim Bolger said the Wiri rail link was an important step towards creating a smarter and leaner national supply chain.

"Wiri is ideally placed as a hub and will play a vital role in the upper North Island supply chain," Bolger said.

"The net effect when containers are loaded and unloaded off rail wagons will be .. reduced traffic congestion in central Auckland.

"One of our priorities is to connect industries and processing plants to railway lines so that goods can be moved by rail."

Ports of Auckland managing director Jens Madsen said the rail connection to the Wiri Inland Port would create a lean, green option for businesses looking to optimise their supply chain.

Madsen said Ports of Auckland saw a bright future for Wiri as a staging post that will link the South Auckland with the Waikato and with the Port of Auckland on the Waitemata Harbour.

The Wiri Inland Port is located off Wiri Station Road in south Auckland, close to Auckland International Airport, and adjacent to SH1 and SH20.

Construction is due to be completed by the end of the year.

The 5ha of land the rail exchange is on is owned by KiwiRail. Ports of Auckland owns and operates the adjacent 10ha inland port, which is currently serviced by trucks.