Connex given deal to revive Auckland's rail system

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

French company Connex has been contracted to nurse Auckland's rail system back to life, promising high reliability despite mixed overseas reviews.

The company, which yesterday signed a $144 million deal with the Auckland Regional Council to run trains for at least four years from July, has an excellent track record in Australia but ran into terminal trouble in Britain.

Australian chairman Bob Annells said it should be judged on overall performance in more than 20 countries, and described its loss of English franchises after complaints of crowded trains and cancellations as an anomaly caused by inadequate public funding.

He cited achievements in Melbourne, where Connex carried more than 50 million passengers annually and would next month extend its operation across the whole of that city, carrying 125 million passengers.

Although this dwarfs Auckland, where annual rail trips are forecast to rise to 3.25 million by June compared with 2.5 million last year, Mr Annells said the contract with the regional council was nevertheless important for Connex.

"It represents our first opportunity in New Zealand, and for that we've waited quite some time."

Council transport committee chairwoman Catherine Harland said the contract was structured to deliver more reliable and frequent services, and greater patronage.

It will give Connex a portion of $144 million in subsidies from the Auckland Regional Council over four years with rights of renewal for three more.

Part of this sum will also be used for other services such as stations and tracks.

The contract would include monitoring and performance-reporting, backed by possible sanctions.

She said it would take time to build frequency as the western rail line was progressively doubled-tracked and new rolling stock introduced, starting next month with the first of 10 refurbished trains.

Connex has been set an initial target of ensuring 85 per cent of trains run on time or no more than five minutes late, and will be encouraged to raise this to 95 per cent. This compares with 80 per cent now on the southern line, and 65 per cent on the single-track western.