Transport Minister Phil Twyford at his first look of the Te Huia train carriages with Labour MP Jamie Strange behind him. Photo / Supplied
Transport Minister Phil Twyford at his first look of the Te Huia train carriages with Labour MP Jamie Strange behind him. Photo / Supplied
Aucklanders and Hamiltonians could be travelling between their CBDs in under an hour, but cost for a rapid rail service between the two cities could reach up to $14 billion.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Phil Twyford released an initial rapid rail business case with figures for four possible scenarios.
The scenarios include using existing rail infrastructure for a 1 hour and 53 minute trip from Hamilton to Auckland. This option would cost $2.157 billion and have operating costs of up to $725 million; or upgrading existing rail infrastructure which will see trains reach speeds of 160km/h and cut travel times down to 1 hour 28 minutes.
The more expensive scenarios include creating a new rail corridor between the two cities which would require the creation of tunnels along the route. If a new rail corridor was created with tunnelling it would cut down travel times down to 69 minutes, however the total cost could be over $14 billion. The trains would reach speeds of up to 250km/h.
The Te Huia rail service is expected to begin in November. Photo / File
All four rapid rail scenarios include a new underground rail station in Hamilton's CBD, with some believing the new CBD station should be outside the train tunnel on the Western Town Belt next to Seddon Park.
In November this year, a diesel train commuter service Te Huia will run between Hamilton and Papakura, commuters will then have to transfer to the Auckland electric rail network, with the current trip expected to take over two hours.
Twyford said rapid rail would improve journey reliability between the two cities.
"It's pretty fantastic on the new expressway until you get over the Bombay Hills, and depending on what time you are travelling it can be a very unreliable journey," Twyford said.
"With a fast and efficient link between these two growth areas and Hamilton with its future growth prospects, this will be a specific part of expanding the labour market and it could also take the pressure of Auckland's housing market by creating growth through the whole corridor."
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate welcomed the business case announcement to investigate the proposal of rapid rail between the two cities.
"It's early days but this is very exciting. Our council has been very focused for some time on ensuring we do everything possible to future-proof our city and leverage our proximity to Auckland. We are two very fast-growing cities and it makes economic sense for government and other agencies to be thinking and planning now for future transport networks," Southgate said.
"Of course, we will need to be thinking about our connection to the CBD – and we're already doing that. Let's not jump the gun because it is very early days. But over time, this could be a significant development for the city while at the same time making a very real contribution to lowering greenhouse gas emissions."
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate said a rapid rail service between the two cities could unlock the region's full potential. Photo / Supplied
She said Hamilton had already played a prominent role in land-use planning and other issues around the Hamilton to Auckland corridor and that role would continue via work on the Hamilton-Waikato Metro Spatial Plan.
"The work we are doing in that space is vital. Joint planning between our cities matters, not just to us, but to New Zealand as a whole because of the massive economic contribution we make to New Zealand's GDP.
"If we can link Hamilton and Auckland by just over an hour, that's a game-changer but of course it would come at a cost," she said. "There will be upsides and downsides and no doubt that's exactly what the business case will highlight.
"Today's announcement reinforces the importance the Government puts on connectivity between our two cities. I welcome anything that will help Hamilton better realise its economic potential while providing better, more sustainable transport choices.
Labour's Waikato electorate candidate Kerrin Leoni has hailed the announcement of detailed planning work for a high-speed rail service between Hamilton and Auckland as a "game changer for northern Waikato River towns like Huntly and Ngaruawahia".
"The areas between Hamilton and Auckland are growing fast, and a high-speed rail service will give great access for these river communities to both cities and their employment markets," Leoni said.
"Journey times, trip reliability, congestion and emission reduction, improved road safety and economic growth will all result from stronger and faster connections between our area and the two fastest-growing cities in the country."
