Auckland Transport: ‘Major’ disruption to passenger train services expected this afternoon

A gas leak at Wiri caused delays and cancellations on Auckland passenger train services this morning - and the fallout is set to continue this afternoon.

Embattled Auckland train commuters face ongoing travel woes today after services were severely disrupted this morning.

Passengers should “continue to expect major delays and cancellations to all train line services across the network”, Auckland Transport told rail users in a 11.25am message on its website.

The disruption was due to an earlier gas leak at Wiri, in South Auckland, “and the resulting train crew displacement”, the Auckland Council’s transport arm said.

“Southern and Eastern line train services continue to operate at a 20-minute frequency until further notice.

“Western line train services are experiencing delays and cancellations.”

Onehunga line services have been reinstated and are running betwen Onehunga and Newmarket.

Passengers could transfer to the Southern Line at Penrose Station, or use bus routes 30 and 309 to travel between Onehunga and Britomart, it said.

Passenger services had been affected since this morning’s gas leak, which occurred around 8am.

UPDATE 9:55

Services across the network are experiencing delays and cancellations due to the earlier gas leak at Wiri.
Use the AT Mobile App for live updates & alternative transport options. https://t.co/47ezLD7Cnf

— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) February 1, 2024

Only Southern and Eastern lines were initially affected, but the impact soon spread to other rail services.

By 9.30am power and outage had been mostly restored, Auckland Transport tweeted on its travel alerts page on X.

“Please anticipate delays as trains catch up and we continue to fix the malfunction in the Overhead Line Electrification for Railways ... use the AT Mobile App for live updates and alternative transport options.”

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.