Kenepuru Station to remain open

Kenepuru Station will undergo a $300,000 platform upgrade which should keep it open for at least the next 10 years.

The future of the 48-year-old station, between Linden and Porirua Stations on the Kapiti Line, was under threat because of slumping and unsafe platforms surfaces.

Peter Glensor, Chair of Greater Wellington’s Economic Wellbeing Committee, which oversees public transport, says he is pleased that a solution has been found.

“Greater Wellington and KiwiRail will fund a temporary fix of the slumping on the eastern platform and both platforms will be resurfaced. The work, which will be carried out over the Christmas / New Year period, will cost about $320,000 all up.

“Although the station is not used by many people, the cost of keeping it open was nowhere near as prohibitive as that for Muri Station, for example. I would much prefer to keep stations open rather than close them but the big challenge for our region, as for most of New Zealand, is the huge cost of providing accessible, quality public transport system for a relatively small population. I’m very happy that we’ve managed to keep Kenepuru Station open.”

Porirua / Tawa regional councillor Barbara Donaldson is also very pleased with the decision. “My colleague and fellow Porirua / Tawa regional councillor Jenny Brash is away at present but she and I have worked hard to press for an alternative solution to this problem. I’m delighted that we don’t have to open up the issue of a possible closure of this station.”