KiwiRail has completed the first stage of its investigations into a 20km branch line to Northport at Marsden Point and will begin the next stage of exploration this year.
Acting Chief Executive Todd Moyle says, “Our teams have spent the past three months drilling into hills, land and coastal areas to gain a full picture of the challenges of building what would be rail’s first new significant branch line in more than 50 years.”
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Minister of Regional Development Shane Jones were in Northland to speak with rail workers and witness the final day’s drilling.
“Over coming months, we will be carrying out further work along the route to advance the design of the line and prepare for the next phases of the project," says Moyle.
KiwiRail is also working on the upgrade plan for the North Auckland line to Oakleigh to ensure container freight trains can use the line as its tunnels are currently old, low and narrow.