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Rugby World Cup visitors will get more shelter from Auckland’s four-seasons-in-one day climate with the new canopies being erected this afternoon at the Kingsland railway station, close to Eden Park.
The canopies, a late addition to the upgrades, are costing $2.1m. That’s your money.
Meanwhile hardy West Aucklanders who have to catch after-match trains heading West from neighbouring Morningside station will have fight for the few train station sheltera, minus the old overhang from the old concrete railway building which is finally being demolished this weekend.
Maybe they’ll replace it with more.
Big cranes were brought in today to help erect the canopies, while Auckland’s train network is shut for work this weekend.
The canopies are 36 metres long on each platform at the western end of the station and 18m at the city end. The existing shelters are roughly 12 m long on each platform.
Over at Morningside, footpaths are being improved and a new crossover continues to be installed to enable Morningside trains to leave from both platforms after the RWC matches.
The entire rail network is closed to trains until Monday morning.
Replacement rail bus services will be provided and special timetables will be in place, including special rail bus services to rugby games.
17 Comments
After spendig so much, Imagine the reaction if the entire RWC crashed and burned…
Might need to escape in case we have a Vancover here….D:
seems like a huge amount of money for what we get out of it. Those contractors must be raking it in.
Hopefully they find a way to bring the cost of those canopy’s down a bit so they can install them at more stations.
Also in relation to Morningside, the concrete building used to house signalling equipment I believe so it is no longer needed. Removing the building means there is one less safety issue (I think that is why Mt Albert’s shelters were removed as people were using it to hide then attack people and train staff)
Canopies are good, but as others have noted, $2.1 million is a huge price. I could build you a particularly large building for that money.
Another AT/AC misuse of public funds.
Come to think of it the use of Public money for the RWC is a gross misuse of public funds.
Charges should be laid.
Agree with Chris. If a profit is made at the RWC, which is doubtful, it should be shared by Central Government and contributing Local Authorities not the Rugby Union.
Haha, if only they provide cover for every seat in the stadium!
@Ian M LOL Indeed. There are going to be some wet bums.
Super happy about the canopies and tidy up. Needed! 2.1 million? That’s pretty steep. If it was for both sides of both stations it would still be pretty steep. Would like to see the working paper costing this job. I don’t usually moan at progress but something’s not right here.
I think the Auditor Generals office needs to look at why some of these developments are costing so much. I agree entirely with the sentiments expressed here.
This clearly needs an explanation and transparency in disclosure.
Intruiging, I saw that Kingsland Shelter at Otahuhu this morning
I also recall that an Auckland-Hamilton rail service needed $1M or so a year to run….priorities
this is bs, they don’t even cover you as you get on and off the train, as in the don’t even cover the edge of the platform, im sorry, but this is a 1/2 arsed crack at it.
what are they going to do when the lines come through for power?
I’m but either the NZ dollar is super weak, or someone is pocketing a lot of cash here.
it really looks FA for $2 mill or so.
So guys, but its really not impressive at all.
I think who ever is building or paying for it should actually show everybody how and where the money is being spent…
I’m almost starting to lose hope in the future of PT in Auckland and NZ. The only thing keeping my hopes alive is Len Brown and his vision.
How did the woman in the tenth photo waiting for a non existent train manage to enter a construction worksite ? No barriers to stop the public I presume.
@mike correct and there weren’t even any trains running so she shouldn’t have been there
“Agree with Chris. If a profit is made at the RWC, which is doubtful, it should be shared by Central Government and contributing Local Authorities not the Rugby Union.”
At Richard - for once, no worries here. The Rugby Union is SO DEEP IN DEBT - with Council backing the loans, HILARIOUS - that if they get any profits from the RWC, it will go back to us.