Extra carriages plan backed by full council
Greater Wellington Regional Council today formally supported plans to help alleviate over-crowding on Wellington's rail network.
Under the plan, five English Electric carriages will be brought back into service, in approximately eight months. These are the same type of carriages as 30% of the current fleet.
A full meeting of council also backed proposals aimed at increasing capacity over the longer-term.
They include ordering six former British Rail carriages due to be upgraded and refurbished before arriving in about 18 months to two years' time.
Also 12 more brand new carriages, known as Electric Multiple Units, have been ordered - bringing the total due to come into service by 2010 to 70.
The Passenger Transport Committee recommended the package of measures be adopted last week after a report found peak-hour services on all lines into the city suffered over-crowding.
Ian Buchanan, chairman of the Council, said: "Wellington's rail network is suffering from decades of under-investment. There are no quick-fix solutions. The action taken now is designed to deal with problems in the short-term and ensure there is capacity for the future.
"Re-commissioning carriages is the only feasible way we can tackle the over-crowding problem. We acknowledge that the English Electric carriages aren't the ideal solution but they will be effective.
"We are confident that discussions currently underway with central government will lead to a satisfactory funding package being available," Ian Buchanan said.
Notes for editors
Greater Wellington's recent rail passenger audit found:
* Johnsonville, Paraparaumu and Porirua services were carrying passenger loads of 90% to 140% of seating capacity. Upper Hutt and Taita services were loaded to between 120% and 150% of seating capacity. (These percentages represent between zero and 205 passengers standing on one train.)
* Two particularly overcrowded services were the 7.18am from Upper Hutt and the 7.19am from Taita.
* The majority of train lengths match demand as best as possible given the constraints of adding or removing the minimum of a two-car set (148 seats). Essentially no service can afford to lose 148 seats, which is the smallest divisible number that can be relocated to another service.
Under the plan, five English Electric carriages will be brought back into service, in approximately eight months. These are the same type of carriages as 30% of the current fleet.
A full meeting of council also backed proposals aimed at increasing capacity over the longer-term.
They include ordering six former British Rail carriages due to be upgraded and refurbished before arriving in about 18 months to two years' time.
Also 12 more brand new carriages, known as Electric Multiple Units, have been ordered - bringing the total due to come into service by 2010 to 70.
The Passenger Transport Committee recommended the package of measures be adopted last week after a report found peak-hour services on all lines into the city suffered over-crowding.
Ian Buchanan, chairman of the Council, said: "Wellington's rail network is suffering from decades of under-investment. There are no quick-fix solutions. The action taken now is designed to deal with problems in the short-term and ensure there is capacity for the future.
"Re-commissioning carriages is the only feasible way we can tackle the over-crowding problem. We acknowledge that the English Electric carriages aren't the ideal solution but they will be effective.
"We are confident that discussions currently underway with central government will lead to a satisfactory funding package being available," Ian Buchanan said.
Notes for editors
Greater Wellington's recent rail passenger audit found:
* Johnsonville, Paraparaumu and Porirua services were carrying passenger loads of 90% to 140% of seating capacity. Upper Hutt and Taita services were loaded to between 120% and 150% of seating capacity. (These percentages represent between zero and 205 passengers standing on one train.)
* Two particularly overcrowded services were the 7.18am from Upper Hutt and the 7.19am from Taita.
* The majority of train lengths match demand as best as possible given the constraints of adding or removing the minimum of a two-car set (148 seats). Essentially no service can afford to lose 148 seats, which is the smallest divisible number that can be relocated to another service.