Podcasts about city rail link

Managers of Auckland's City Rail Link are still shying away from naming a specific opening date, following last night's successful tests. A train made five trips through the new tunnels overnight - between Waitematā and Maungawhau Station. It started at a gruelling five kilometres an hour, but picked up the pace as technicians made their checks. CRL Chief Executive Patrick Brockie says it will open in 2026, but he won't be more specific. "The last year is complex, we've got a lot to do still and there can be the unknowns. But we're working as hard as we can to open as early as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Managers of Auckland's City Rail Link are still shying away from naming a specific opening date, following last night's successful tests. A train made five trips through the new tunnels overnight - between Waitematā and Maungawhau Station. It started at a gruelling five kilometres an hour, but picked up the pace as technicians made their checks. CRL Chief Executive Patrick Brockie says it will open in 2026, but he won't be more specific. "The last year is complex, we've got a lot to do still and there can be the unknowns. But we're working as hard as we can to open as early as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're kicking off 2025 with Adrian Lord, Head of Active Modes at Auckland Transport, for an insightful discussion about walking, cycling, and some of exciting initiatives Auckland Transport is currently working on. In this episode we talk about: How Adrian turned his passion for cycling into a rewarding career Adrian's advocacy work, including collaborations with renowned cyclist and UK Cycling Commissioner, Chris Boardman. The barriers to enabling cycling investment and perceptions around safety. Why cycling is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing transport modes in New Zealand and around the world. The growing role of E-bikes and E-Scooters in our cities. Key ticket items for the AT's cycling network. Opportunities to better integrate cycling with the City Rail Link. Connect with Adrian here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-lord-04670422/

Communities around the country are waiting with bated breath for news about major infrastructure projects – ones that are set to cost a lot of money. The government’s expected to announce the future of Interislander’s Cook Strait ferries this week – after the $3 billion mega ferry contract was canned last year due to ‘significant cost blowouts’. Meanwhile, a report has revealed a ‘lack of confidence’ in a French contractor’s forecasts for the $5.5 billion City Rail Link in Auckland – the company has execs flying out this month to address concerns. There’s apparently a 50% likelihood the November 2025 completion date will be met. Later on The Front Page, Transporting New Zealand’s Policy and Advocacy Lead Billy Clemens is with us to discuss why the industry is on tenterhooks over the upcoming decision around the Cook Strait ferries. But first, Public Transport Users Association chairperson Niall Robertson is with us to discuss the City Rail Link. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsSound Engineer/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businesses say the new Central Auckland Police base is a positive step towards improving the city's safety. The new Federal Street station will be close to Aotea Square, making it easier to deploy officers right across the central city. Police plan to have it open to the public 24/7 by the middle of next year. Heart of the City's Viv Beck told Ryan Bridge that businesses have been after more police - especially with the City Rail Link opening soon. She says we want a vibrant, safe, international city, so there needs to be enough police. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's understandable Auckland CBD's retail and hospitality businesses' initial reaction was one of concern after learning Auckland's train network will close for 96 days in the final push to get the City Rail Link open in 2026. Devastated even. In years to come, we will take the CRL for granted as a valuable, normal part of a functioning, modern city. But almost a decade of disruption has taken a toll. This latest news will be triggering for those impacted. Yes, the rail network upgrades have to be done. Yes, better to bite the bullet now than drag this out for even longer. We are all desperate to cut the ribbon on the CRL and get on with life. But this news came out of the blue. It's only 7 weeks until the first shut down - from 27th December to 28th January. This is very short notice for businesses preparing for what they hope will be a busy summer season. It's frustrating. What helps manage the pain is how you consult, communicate information, and prepare for the inconvenience. AT said there will be extra buses to accommodate passengers during the rail closures, but acknowledges special events will be challenging. New Year's Eve, Sail GP, and the ASB Classic are all held over summer period when there will be train stoppages. Honestly, and I know it's hard for some of you to believe, but Auckland is a great place to be over summer. As long as you can get around. It's not like a sold out concert at Eden Park isn't challenging enough now for public transport. Which is something the CRL will improve. And this is the issue at the heart of it all - new infrastructure can breathe life into a city or region, we just don't want to live through the nightmare of building it. This is not just an Auckland problem. The Government has announced its preferred plan for Wellington is to build two new tunnels to funnel large numbers of cars into the central city. Thats going to be disruptive. I was in Christchurch this week, where there is real excitement about the stadium and the growth of the city - but what a ordeal the last 13 years have been. This week, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop released a discussion document which outlines the Infrastructure Commission's thinking for developing a 30 year National Infrastructure Plan. The idea is to create a bipartisan approach to infrastructure, to plan, fund and deliver what the country needs - but also what it can afford. It's a good, forward thinking, organised approach to infrastructure - the plan should be delivered by the end of 2025. It will provide a pipeline, which gives us a much clearer view of upcoming projects and an understanding of what's involved for those impacted. So, bring on the upgrades and improvements to our infrastructure, but bring the people along with you. It's not that hard, the Government must consult, communicate and - this is a really important bit- compensate those adversely impacted. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 96 days Auckland will be a city without a functioning rail network. The trains will come to a complete standstill so that ageing infrastructure can be upgraded or replaced. It comes ahead of the opening of the long-awaited the City Rail Link. Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the work will have a significant impact on passengers and freight in Auckland, but it's the one last push that's needed to get the CRL over the line. The rail network will be completely closed for a month after Christmas and for 16 days across Easter Weekend plus there are further closures of 2 to 4 days throughout next year until another long shutdown after Christmas 2025 - and scheduled to be complete by January 2026. Businesses spoken to by Checkpoint today were not impressed that they found out about the closures through the media and some fear the disruption will be disastrous for their bottom line. Desley Simpson, the Acting Mayor of Auckland spoke to Susana Lei'ataua.

The Transport Minister says KiwiRail will be held accountable for any delays in fixing Auckland's rail network. The rail operator's being given $200 million in government funding to carry out the repairs – needed before the City Rail Link opens. There'll be 96 days of full network closures and 24 days of partial - from Christmas to January 2026. Simeon Brown told Heather du Plessis-Allan KiwiRail's committed strongly to that, and there's no room for delays. “In terms of the timing, there is no more time other than what's been provided.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has outlined major disruptions for Auckland rail commuters through to the end of January 2026, as work continues on the City Rail Link. This will include 96 days of full network closures in the coming 13 months, with the first scheduled from December 27 until January 28.

Businesses on Auckland's Karangahape Road are fed up with the lack of public toilets on the iconic street, with some having to clean up human waste outside their shop fronts each morning.There used to be a public toilet just off the street in Beresford Square, but it was removed for construction of the City Rail Link. Since then, it's only had couple of portaloos on a nearby street for people to use and they're locked overnight. In the meantime, businesses are being left to clean up the remnants of K Road's rowdy nightlife, Luka Forman went for a visit.

Maungawhau station, formerly Mt Eden station, closed in July 2020 for reconstruction as part of the City Rail Link. Delays during the COVID-19 lockdowns extended the construction process, and the station is now expected to reopen in early 2024.  Starting on October 14th, Western line trains have been running at reduced frequency to allow for testing at the station, indicating that the station may be almost completed. Trains across the city have also been affected by unplanned disruptions over the past few months, most recently on the Western line with a series of power outages.  For City Counselling this week I asked Councillor Julie Fairey about the timeline on Maungawhau station, the upcoming Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-ā-hape stations, and power outages across the rail network.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown is confident in delivering Auckland's City Rail Link on time with no network issues. KiwiRail has assured the $5.5 billion project will cut delays down to a maximum of 1 minute 20 seconds when it opens in 2026. Official papers show Brown and Auckland mayor Wayne Brown are working to improve confidence in the wide rail network. Simeon Brown told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's also aware of the rail fatigue among Aucklanders. He says he gets the frustration about more maintenance and renewals and is determined to ensure they get as much done as possible. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's serious concerns political bickering is ballooning the cost of New Zealand's major construction projects. The cost of Auckland's City Rail Link has risen over the past decade from $3.4 billion dollars to almost $5.5 billion. Outgoing chief executive Sean Sweeney told TVNZ the lack of a clear and consistent pipe line, due to political uncertainly, is the biggest factor driving up costs. Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett says we're really bad at pushing go on these projects, and that's driving up efficiencies. "We don't have the guarantee across political cycles and funding cycles to lock them in and get the efficiency that a small country like New Zealand desperately needs."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's serious concerns political bickering is ballooning the cost of New Zealand's major construction projects. The cost of Auckland's City Rail Link has risen over the past decade from $3.4 billion dollars to almost $5.5 billion. Outgoing chief executive Sean Sweeney told TVNZ the lack of a clear and consistent pipe line, due to political uncertainly, is the biggest factor driving up costs. Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett says we're really bad at pushing go on these projects, and that's driving up efficiencies. "We don't have the guarantee across political cycles and funding cycles to lock them in and get the efficiency that a small country like New Zealand desperately needs."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland regional fuel tax ended on 30 June that has been active since 2018, with the purported aim to ease cost of living pressures. The generated tax revenue was used for road safety initiatives and public transport infrastructure projects including the eastern busway, new electric trains for the City Rail Link and redevelopment of the downtown ferry terminal. Without a fuel tax, the infrastructure funding will come from rates which are unlikely to increase to recoup the loss of tax revenue. I spoke to Senior lecturer in Urban Planning Dr Timothy Welch about the short and long term impact of the removal of fuel tax.

This week, we had the priveledge to converse with Pete Moth, Head of Public Transport Services (Planning and Development) at Auckland Transport. Pete is an experienced transport planner and people leader with a successful career spanning the UK and New Zealand. Pete is a key authority on the intricacies and big picture items of Auckland's growing public transport network Here's what we cover in this discussion: Pete's background as a Transport Planner. Auckland's ongoing transformation, from a tram network in the 1950's to grappling with sprawling growth and historically car-oriented policy decisions. Addressing transport inequity, particularly in South and West Auckland, and AT's initiatives to tackle it. The essential elements of a robust public transport network design, including rapid transit, high frequency, and improving journey reliability. Effects of COVID and the work from home revolution on travel patterns. City Rail Link, which will double the capacity of trains through central stations and its broader benefits for the network. Auckland Transport's efforts to integrate public transport with other modes such as cycling, walking, and rail. The importance of taking stakeholders on a journey with AT. My favorite takeaways: Surprisingly, there were more public transport boardings in the 1950s, during Auckland's tram network era, compared to today. Pre 2018, only 1 in 12 people made transfers in their public transport journeys, a figure that has now doubled to 1 in 6. Despite accounting for less than 2% of traffic, buses carry nearly half the number of people crossing the Auckland Harbour Bridge during peak times. A staggering comparison: 350 morning buses heading into Auckland city transport the same number of people as 20,000 cars! AT's ambitious de-carbonisation programme, with around 180 of our 1300 buses running electric and plan for the whole fleet to be electric by 2035. Thanks for listening! We'd love to hear your feedback on how we can make these discussions even more insightful for our listeners. Send us you're feedback here - callum@bureau.co.nz Massive thanks to our guest Pete Moth.

Auckland's rail operators are promising the city's trains will run smoother, as a new control centre provides hope there will be no repeat of January's commuter train chaos. The centre will put staff from One Rail, Kiwirail and Auckland Transport into one office and aims to provide a speedier response to faults on the rail network - especially when the City Rail Link goes live.    But as Maia Ingoe reports, a cloud is hovering over the project, with millions of dollars more needed to complete the network rebuild.  

It's been another day of disruptions for public transport users in Auckland, with all train lines ground to a halt for a time, because of an infrastructure issue. All trains are now operating on a reduced frequency this afternoon. Auckland Transport says rail commuters will have to put up with delays for the next few years as work ramps up to accommodate the City Rail Link. Maia Ingoe reports.

Auckland's light rail project has been officially scrapped. Transport Minister, Simeon Brown, yesterday announced the cancellation of the project as part of the Government's 100-day plan, saying the price was unsustainable, with costs ballooning to between $15-30 billion.Work on the project, which would have linked parts of the central city to the airport, has been paused since November. Transport Minister, Simeon Brown, told Ben Strang the coalition government would prefer to put its money elsewhere, like the City Rail Link, the Eastern busway and the northwestern rapid transit corridor.

An Auckland city-centre business leader says public transport is vital. The Government's officially scrapped the $15-billion-dollar Auckland Light Rail. There were projections the cost could blow out to $30-billion. In six years, not a metre of track has been laid. Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Tim Dower there needs to be quick action on the city's transport -- and we need to make sure we've learnt lessons from the ongoing City Rail Link project. She says it's devastating to see a large-scale, long-term project cancelled - but it is pragmatic.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of Auckland's long anticipated underground rail network is giving no guarantees it will hit its opening deadline of 2026. It has suffered several budget blowouts and will cost the city $220 million per year once it opens. Auckland Council's Budget Committee is meeting this week to look at increasing rates to meet "unavoidable" cost pressures brought on by the City Rail Link. The city's mayor is proposing an 8 percent rates increase for the financial year 2026 to 2027, as part of the council's 10 year budget, to soften the blow of City Rail Link costs. Finn Blackwell has more.

Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with a bill of roughly $220 million each year to run the City Rail Link - once it opens. Chief executive Sean Sweeney says the project is 80 percent complete, but there's no guarantee the November 2025 deadline will be met. Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges says there's no excuse for these extended cost blowouts and delays. "It's created a huge amount of problems. Just by the cost blowouts, the fact that this has taken too long and there doesn't seem to be a particularly good end in sight." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with a bill of roughly $220 million each year to run the City Rail Link - once it opens. Chief executive Sean Sweeney says the project is 80 percent complete, but there's no guarantee the November 2025 deadline will be met. Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges says there's no excuse for these extended cost blowouts and delays. "It's created a huge amount of problems. Just by the cost blowouts, the fact that this has taken too long and there doesn't seem to be a particularly good end in sight." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of Auckland's City Rail Link is giving no guarantees it will hit its opening deadline of 2026. Preliminary work on the 3.4km track, spanning four underground stations, from downtown's Britomart to Mt Eden, began in 2016. But CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney says reaching that deadline of 2026 - 10 years later - is not guaranteed. The latest cost projection of the build is 5.49 billion dollars - and once it is up and running, it's is set to cost Auckland ratepayers an estimated 220 million dollars a year to maintain. It will serve as connecting link between existing rail services , making most of the central city accessible by train. An engineer ,Sean Sweeney has spent four decades working across the world overseeing such big construction jobs. But as he tells Kathryn Ryan, he believes Auckland is the most expensive place in the world for infrastructure projects.

Remember the old Ministry of Works? Reckon we need it back again? I reckon we do. Because we have another example today of what happens when you rely on governments and individual organisations to run big infrastructure projects. So think of all the drama over the new stadium in Christchurch. Think of all the money wasted on the Auckland Harbour Bridge cycleway that went absolutely nowhere. The City Rail Link blow-outs. KiwiBuild. You name any big infrastructure project in recent times and it seems that we have just become hopeless at doing stuff we used to be brilliant at. So the latest example that we're hearing about is the big Scott Base rebuild. Which has been put on hold because the Government and Antarctica New Zealand can't agree on a deal with the contractor. What's happened with this particular project, is Antarctica New Zealand got just over $500 million from the New Zealand Government to rebuild Scott Base. But, as always happens with these things, the cost of the whole thing has headed northwards and they haven't been able to come to an agreement with the contractor. This is Leigh's Construction, by the way. A very successful Christchurch-based outfit, which really came into its own after the earthquakes. And it is the preferred contractor for the work. Which involves the new structures for the base being built in Timaru and eventually being shipped down to Antarctica. And the reason this work is all happening in the first place, is because Antarctica New Zealand wants to make sure it's set-up for research work at Scott Base for the next 50 years. So it's come up with this plan for three new inter-connected buildings and to upgrade the wind farm down there. I do get the sense that maybe they've done the usual thing and gone for the gold-plated option and told themselves that they'll make it work come hell or high water. But that wing-and-a-prayer approach doesn't seem to be working and we're finding out today that things have come to a halt. And they're going to do a review - not exactly sure yet what that's going to involve - but it is going to be done by internal and external experts. Which, as you and I know, will involve more money. It's amazing that work even started in the first place without an agreed contract. Which is why I reckon these big public projects need to be run by an outfit that knows how to run these kinds of things. An outfit like the Ministry of Works. Because, back in its day, the MOW did all sorts of stuff. It built railway lines, tunnels, hydro dams, motorways. It was also involved in other things like airport developments. It was originally known as the Department of Public Works. Eventually it became the Ministry of Works. And it operated from 1870 until 1993 - when Jim Bolger's National government dished out its policy work to other government departments and created a new State-Owned Enterprise, with two divisions: Works Consultancy Services and Works Civil Construction. Three years later they were sold off and that was the final chapter in the Ministry of Works story. But who says it couldn't make a comeback? Because, when you think about it, it is crazy that we expect the likes of Antarctica New Zealand to run its project and do all the negotiating and procuring. Then we expect every other outfit using public money to do the same with their big projects. All working in complete isolation from each other. We've got Waka Kotahi doing the roads. We've got Transpower doing all the electricity infrastructure stuff. We've got local councils doing their thing. And we've got outfits like Antarctica New Zealand and the government running the big Scott Base rebuild project. But if we had something like the old Ministry of Works, that could all be co-ordinated. I'm not saying it would be free of political interference. That would be impossible. But how many more examples do you need, to show that we have lost our way when it comes to big infrastructure? Waka Kotahi is a prime example of an outfit trying to do too much and failing. Imagine if its job was just the road safety stuff and we had another nationwide infrastructure agency building and maintaining the roads. Building all the state houses the government wants to build. Building new motorways. And, yes, even building the new base in Antarctica.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The problem with infrastructure is that it's boring.  It's also years away and, given all that has unfolded in this country of late, half of us don't believe it will ever happen anyway.  Nevertheless, it's important. When you get a few reports into the sector, they never get the noise they really deserve.  There has been a report into the CRL, the City Rail Link that is a fortune over budget and a mile behind in terms of delivery. That report found we don't have, and have never had, enough specialist workers to tackle such a project properly.  There was a report into the civil construction industry. They have little, if any, faith in our infrastructure to hold up in future weather events.  This all comes at a time when the Government are still considering what they call pumped hydro at Lake Onslow.    This has been going on for years. It was a Jacinda Ardern thought bubble and part of the Government's ongoing obsession with 100 percent renewable energy, even though we have reports telling us 100 percent isn't worth it because it's too expensive.  Can we do 97 percent? Yes. Can we do 100 percent? No.  Let us learn from Australia, where we find that their pumped hydro project, the so-called Snowy 2.0, has struck trouble. It was announced by Malcolm Turnbull in 2017 and due to be finished two years ago.  Of course, that hasn't happened.  What has happened is the cost has doubled in the past six months. Malcolm said it would cost $2 billion. By May this year that had blown out to $6billion.  As of yesterday it's now $12 billion.  With Lake Onslow the Government, before spending $30million they didn't need to into a report given they already had reports, told us theirs would cost $4 billion, which seemed absurd. But not as absurd as the $16 billion they now reckon it will cost.   And given the figures I have just given you, you know full well that $16 billion will not be the reality, or anywhere close to it.    Our trouble, and clearly Australia's as well, is the idea is one thing but the execution is another.  If the industry doesn't have faith and we don't have the workers, we might like to sort that before we go bumbling forward into the next gargantuan hole we don't now how to dig, or finish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More frustration has come from Auckland businesses affected by construction of City Rail Link. It comes after the organisation admitted the disruption to businesses had been underestimated. City Rail Link Limited CEO Sean Sweeney says comparisons were made with road projects in the country side or through suburbs, not in the middle of a major city. Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck told Mike Hosking it's been difficult for the businesses. She says there's been no independent dispute resolution - so they have nowhere to go with issues. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Increased train frequency in Auckland's Mt Albert could mean crossings will close for 45 minutes each hour during peak times. That's on top of Auckland Transport's plans to put barrier arms and flashing lights on all city rail crossings over coming decades. Many need to be done before the City Rail Link is completed, scheduled for 2025. Auckland City Councillor Christine Fletcher says it's not good enough. "The CRL will not work unless we invest in comprehensive-grade separation, because every 10-15 minutes, these trains are going to be coming along, and you're going to have the barriers down." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government today announced plans to build an alternative Waitemata Harbour crossing, alongside further upgrades to Auckland's North Shore. The alternative crossing includes two three-lane road tunnels and a 21 kilometre Light Rail tunnel between Albany and the CBD. Transport Minister David Parker is confident the second Waitemata Harbour crossing will be built within a clear timeframe. "We've had extra lines being put in on the railway, we've had the City Rail Link built. Those are political insults, rather than fact-based." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport is planning to close seven pedestrian crossings over railway lines around the city, as it gets ready for more frequent trains with the City Rail Link. But it's upset several communities, who use the crossings as a safe alternative to busy roads. They say Auckland Transport is going ahead with the closures, no matter what it hears in consultation. Matthew Hutching reports.

The following questions are answered by designers and engineers from the City Rail Link project: 1. Why did you decide to make a tunnel for the trains and whose idea was it? 2. How many people will use the train each year? 3. Will the trains be self-driving? 4. Can you work in any type of weather? 5. How many people get injured on site? 6. What are the various materials used in the construction of the stations? More at https://www.learnz.org.nz/futurejourneys212/connect-with-experts

The following questions are answered by designers and engineers from the City Rail Link project: 1. Who approves the project designs? 2. Where did you get the machines and materials to build the tunnels? 3. How are the workers recruited? For example, engineers with specific skills/qualifications. 4. How can we follow the same/similar pathway as the field trip experts? How are the workers recruited? 5. What is the most challenging part of the tunnel to build? 6. How can you ensure safety on the train? More at https://www.learnz.org.nz/futurejourneys212/connect-with-experts

It could be another three years before trains are rolling through Auckland's City Rail Link. The construction's expected to finish by November 2025, but will then have to undergo major testing before it can open to the public. Meanwhile several businesses have shut up shop because the noisy roadworks, tall mesh fences and road cones at their doors have just become too much. Luka Forman asked the ones who are still open about the delay.  

It has just been confirmed that Auckland's City Rail Link opening has been delayed yet again, pushing out the opening date out to 2026. This comes off the back of numerous earlier delays and cost blow-outs and will only exacerbate the level of frustration in the city. The initial idea for the plan goes back to the 1920s, and delays have spread to the actual project. So how much longer will Auckland's inner city remain a construction site? What has gone wrong with this project? And could it have repercussions for other major infrastructure plans around the city?  Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior journalist Bernard Orsman takes Damien under the surface of the CRL situation to find out what's going on.    Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's $5.5 billion City Rail Link (CRL) will not open until sometime in 2026 or later, the Herald can reveal. This is at least 18 months longer than what was forecasted only a few months ago when the cost of the project blew out by $1.1b to $5.5b and the completion date moved from late 2024 to November 2025. In an exclusive interview during a tour of the mega-project, City Rail Link chief executive Dr Sean Sweeney said the latest completion date is not when Aucklanders will get to ride the underground railway. He said November 2025 is when City Rail Link Ltd hands over the brand spanking new 3.4-kilometre track from Britomart to Mt Eden to Auckland Transport and KiwiRail, which then have to do extensive testing before it opens to passengers. Sweeney was reluctant to say how long that could be, but when pressed said: “As a ballpark guess, I'd say six months, but people need to understand that numbers could change a lot, based on what happens.” The big issue vexing the minds of Sweeney and the Alliance contractor is moving from the construction of the tunnels and stations to the complex and risky phase of installing bespoke software and signalling work, and plugging a state-of-the-art railway into the existing, fault-ridden network. Three years ago, Sweeney told the Herald there are going to be challenges at the “back end”, and the problem is made worse because a metro rail system has never been built in New Zealand. At the time, he was commenting on the Crossrail line under London that encountered massive and costly overruns after back-end problems just as everyone was doing victory laps - the chairman got a knighthood and later got sacked. Sweeney said Crossrail was a much more complex project and does not envisage similar problems with the CRL, but did acknowledge plugging new plants and equipment into the existing rail network could lead to “unintended consequences”. Full testing of the new systems is expected to begin in mid-2024 and will take about a year, said Sweeney, who is planning to finish the job before the November 2025 date. One of the biggest issues that needs testing, he said, is a fire on a train in the tunnel. After the handover, AT and KiwiRail have to go through another set of tests, which Sweeney said is not straightforward and involves a lot of operational and training exercises. “There are exhaustive tests that they will have to go through, and safety checks, before they are allowed to run passengers,” Sweeney said. For example, every one of the 240 drivers in Auckland will have to go through the tunnels for training. An AT spokeswoman could not say when trains will start running on the CRL, saying it is working with CRL Ltd and the Alliance contractor, Auckland One Rail, the rail safety regular Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency and other stakeholders on a plan to begin as early as possible. The plan involved critical testing of the new systems before trains can operate, including emergency and evacuation protocols, driver training, signalling and other important systems needed to operate the CRL safely. “We will be able to confirm the dates for CRL operations once this programme is complete,” she said. Artist's impression of what the Karanga-a-Hape station will look like once it opens. Photo / Supplied Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Bridges, who was Minister of Transport when work started on the CRL in 2016, said a 2026 opening date is far too long. “While most big infrastructure projects do take longer than is said when they start, a critical mistake here was not continuing during Covid lockdowns, when in hindsight we could have, if anything, picked up the pace in a safe and appropriate way.  “That said, when it does open, my pick is that the vast majority of people will forget all the criticism, and Auckland will be in for a pretty golden period given the upgraded transport link, a new convention centre, and hopefully, an upward swing in cyclical economic activity,” said the former MP for Tauranga, who's now a resident of and cheerleader for the Super City. Bridges said the long wait to get to the finish line is little comfort to businesses disrupted - and in some cases, devastated - by the construction works. “But in a wider Auckland sense, it will be exciting when it eventually opens,” he said. Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck are disappointed about the time it is taking to build the CRL. Photo / Brett Phibbs Heart of the City chief executive Vic Beck, who has battled tirelessly for businesses impacted by the CRL works, said uncertainty looms large for the project. “It is extremely disappointing for the city that the benefits won't be reaped sooner, and particularly for those impacted by construction. This creates more anxiety because there is no fixed date for it to be operational. For some, that could now be up to 10 years of major disruption and impacts on them and their business,” she said. Beck has called for a review of the $12 million fund set aside for affected businesses to be sped up, saying no one should lose their livelihood for a public project. - Bernard Orsman, NZHSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's $5.5 billion City Rail Link (CRL) will not open until sometime in 2026 or later, the Herald can reveal. This is at least 18 months longer than what was forecasted only a few months ago when the cost of the project blew out by $1.1b to $5.5b and the completion date moved from late 2024 to November 2025. In an exclusive interview during a tour of the mega-project, City Rail Link chief executive Dr Sean Sweeney said the latest completion date is not when Aucklanders will get to ride the underground railway. He said November 2025 is when City Rail Link Ltd hands over the brand spanking new 3.4-kilometre track from Britomart to Mt Eden to Auckland Transport and KiwiRail, which then have to do extensive testing before it opens to passengers. Sweeney was reluctant to say how long that could be, but when pressed said: “As a ballpark guess, I'd say six months, but people need to understand that numbers could change a lot, based on what happens.” The big issue vexing the minds of Sweeney and the Alliance contractor is moving from the construction of the tunnels and stations to the complex and risky phase of installing bespoke software and signalling work, and plugging a state-of-the-art railway into the existing, fault-ridden network. Three years ago, Sweeney told the Herald there are going to be challenges at the “back end”, and the problem is made worse because a metro rail system has never been built in New Zealand. At the time, he was commenting on the Crossrail line under London that encountered massive and costly overruns after back-end problems just as everyone was doing victory laps - the chairman got a knighthood and later got sacked. Sweeney said Crossrail was a much more complex project and does not envisage similar problems with the CRL, but did acknowledge plugging new plants and equipment into the existing rail network could lead to “unintended consequences”. Full testing of the new systems is expected to begin in mid-2024 and will take about a year, said Sweeney, who is planning to finish the job before the November 2025 date. One of the biggest issues that needs testing, he said, is a fire on a train in the tunnel. After the handover, AT and KiwiRail have to go through another set of tests, which Sweeney said is not straightforward and involves a lot of operational and training exercises. “There are exhaustive tests that they will have to go through, and safety checks, before they are allowed to run passengers,” Sweeney said. For example, every one of the 240 drivers in Auckland will have to go through the tunnels for training. An AT spokeswoman could not say when trains will start running on the CRL, saying it is working with CRL Ltd and the Alliance contractor, Auckland One Rail, the rail safety regular Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency and other stakeholders on a plan to begin as early as possible. The plan involved critical testing of the new systems before trains can operate, including emergency and evacuation protocols, driver training, signalling and other important systems needed to operate the CRL safely. “We will be able to confirm the dates for CRL operations once this programme is complete,” she said. Artist's impression of what the Karanga-a-Hape station will look like once it opens. Photo / Supplied Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Bridges, who was Minister of Transport when work started on the CRL in 2016, said a 2026 opening date is far too long. “While most big infrastructure projects do take longer than is said when they start, a critical mistake here was not continuing during Covid lockdowns, when in hindsight we could have, if anything, picked up the pace in a safe and appropriate way.  “That said, when it does open, my pick is that the vast majority of people will forget all the criticism, and Auckland will be in for a pretty golden period given the upgraded transport link, a new convention centre, and hopefully, an upward swing in cyclical economic activity,” said the former MP for Tauranga, who's now a resident of and cheerleader for the Super City. Bridges said the long wait to get to the finish line is little comfort to businesses disrupted - and in some cases, devastated - by the construction works. “But in a wider Auckland sense, it will be exciting when it eventually opens,” he said. Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck are disappointed about the time it is taking to build the CRL. Photo / Brett Phibbs Heart of the City chief executive Vic Beck, who has battled tirelessly for businesses impacted by the CRL works, said uncertainty looms large for the project. “It is extremely disappointing for the city that the benefits won't be reaped sooner, and particularly for those impacted by construction. This creates more anxiety because there is no fixed date for it to be operational. For some, that could now be up to 10 years of major disruption and impacts on them and their business,” she said. Beck has called for a review of the $12 million fund set aside for affected businesses to be sped up, saying no one should lose their livelihood for a public project. - Bernard Orsman, NZHSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big changes are planned for Auckland's Karangahape Road precinct as Auckland Transport prepares for the City Rail Link. Once completed, up to 40,000 people are expected to pour through the K-Road Rail link station every day. The project aims to ensure those numbers can be safely managed. Auckland Transport's Graeme Gunthorp spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Finance Minister is still adamant that Auckland's Rail Link will be a 50-50 investment. Auckland City Rail Link, the nation's largest ever transport project, has had a cost blowout of over $1b more due to Covid-19 and other revised costs. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown described this blowout as 'unsurprising' amid plans to reduce excess spending and get Auckland's debt down. Finance Minister Grant Robertson says this project has been a 50-50 investment between the Government and Auckland Council, and they have no plans to fully fund the project if the mayor backs out. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A concern Auckland Transport isn't focusing on the right things. Seven Auckland railway stations are getting new names, including the city's busiest train station, Britomart. The Taxpayer's Union says it seems there are too many comms staff and not enough engineers at the agency. Executive Director Jordan Williams says there are so many other problems worth fixing. He says there is a bus driver shortage, closed rail lines and cost blowouts on the City Rail Link. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's Mayor doesn't want to go halves on the bill for Auckland's City Rail link cost blowout. The team's asked for an extra billion dollars, to be split evenly by Council and Government. Wayne Brown says he want to get as much out of the Government as he can. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he's not keen for the Council to pony up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's City Rail Link has had another budget blowout, and is now asking for another billion dollars. The project got underway in 2017, with a price tag of $3.4 billion. It will now cost at least $5.4 billion and is running a year behind schedule. The company delivering the project has now had to go back to Auckland Council and the government - who are jointly funding it - to ask for the money to continue. Felix Walton reports.

A mountain to climb - that's how one Auckland councillor describes the tough road ahead for those in charge of the Super City.  The council needs to find about one-and-a-half billion dollars to cover the cost of cyclone damage and the City Rail Link budget blow-out.  This comes on top of a forecast budget deficit of $295 million in the coming year.  Jonty Dine reports. 

Auckland's mayor says he will work hard to minimise the amount of money the council will need to come up with to cover a transport budget blowout. The council needs to find about $1.5 billion to cover the cost of cyclone damage and the City Rail Link cost increase. It comes on top of a forecast budget deficit of $295 million in the 2023/2024 financial year. Wayne Brown told Morning Report that while the council will pay its fair share towards the rail project there will have to be discussions on what that is and how its paid for. He says a rates increase is an end of road option but it is not his preferred option. Brown says the rail link is a good project but the contract surrounding it was set up poorly and future projects will need to be managed differently. 

Frustration over a blowout of Auckland's City Rail link build cost. It's asking for another billion dollars, half each from Auckland Council and the Government. The completion date for stations and supporting rail infrastructure has also been pushed back to November 2025. Heart of the City Chief Executive, Viv Beck, says it's a big blow for businesses in construction zones. She says some businesses will have been dealing with the problem for 10 years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustration over a blowout of Auckland's City Rail link build cost. It's asking for another billion dollars, half each from Auckland Council and the Government. The completion date for stations and supporting rail infrastructure has also been pushed back to November 2025. Heart of the City Chief Executive, Viv Beck, says it's a big blow for businesses in construction zones. She says some businesses will have been dealing with the problem for 10 years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's more Auckland rail disruption as the network rebuild begins. The whole network was closed from Boxing Day until yesterday, for regular holiday maintenance. Stage One of the Rail Network Rebuild starts today, with Onehunga, Te Papapa, Penrose, Ellerslie, Greenlane and Remuera stations closed until March 19th. KiwiRail Chief Operating Officer David Gordon told Tim Dower it has to be done now to be ready for the City Rail Link. He says the gain is they won't have to shut the network to the same extent as it'll be maintainable on weekends and evenings. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, our guest has very impressive ink work, he's a keen cyclist and marathon runner. He's a father and has lived all over the show including Alexandra, Glasgow, London, Fort Augustus, and Auckland. He also speaks French, builds his own guitars, and loves music. An engineer by trade - he even has a master's degree - and has sat on numerous steering groups, including the City Rail Link in Auckland. He once had to evacuate the whole of Wanaka town centre because he wasn't sure if they'd turned the gas off. Our guest also has an impressive side-hustle business born in lockdown which is growing so well that it could be his main hustle. It's called Roskill Supply Co - its kaupapa is NZ-made clothing. I'm not certain but I can assume he likes haggis, owns a kilt, plays the bagpipes, rides a unicorn, drinks IRN BRU, has lived in the Highlands, and has spent some of his time looking for Nessie. Please welcome our Beers and Ideas guest: Gregory McNeil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill McKay updates us on Auckland's Queen Street, the City Rail Link and Panuku's plans for urban development around the stations - and points out a few problems. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Surprise maintenance closures are heading down the tracks for Auckland train passengers and the disruption to commuters will last years. Rock foundations under several lines around the city need to be removed and rebuilt so they can cope with more trains on the lines when the network hooks into the City Rail Link, hopefully by the end of 2024. That means rolling months long closures on the Onehunga and Southern line, the Eastern Line, between Ōtāhuhu and Britomart and the Southern line, Pukekohe to Papakura. Commuters will be offered replacement buses. Auckland Transport's Darek Koper joined Lisa Owen.

The Mayor phones up to chat about the City Rail Link tunnel, the trial recycling scheme for large plastics, and the opening of voting for local election. Whakarongo mai nei.   

The Mayor phones up to chat about the City Rail Link tunnel, the trial recycling scheme for large plastics, and the opening of voting for local election. Whakarongo mai nei.   

E whai ake nei, coming up On the Friday Wire today: Liam had a chat with Christina Ammunson from Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori about the goal of having one million basic speakers of Te Reo in Aotearoa by 2040. Casper continued has chats with mayoral Candidates -  today, he had a chat to Wayne Brown. Liam also spoke to Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link and the 2022 Mayoral Conservation awards for City Counselling. David Liwei Shi had a chat with Green Party MP Teanau  Tuiono about how a lack of mask mandates put vulnerable communities at risk. And finally, Liam spoke with Felicia Low from the University of Auckland about perinatal mental distress..

Earlier this week the City Rail Link reached a milestone, breaking through the end of its final tunnel. The tunnel boring machine created space for the new rail system by breaking through fifteen metres of cement per day.  The machine was Named after Dame Whina Cooper, the Maori Rights activist who led the hikoi to parliament.  For this week's segment of City Counselling, I had a chat with Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link milestone as well as the 2022 Mayoral conservation awards.  

E whai ake nei, coming up On the Friday Wire today: Liam had a chat with Christina Ammunson from Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori about the goal of having one million basic speakers of Te Reo in Aotearoa by 2040. Casper continued has chats with mayoral Candidates -  today, he had a chat to Wayne Brown. Liam also spoke to Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link and the 2022 Mayoral Conservation awards for City Counselling. David Liwei Shi had a chat with Green Party MP Teanau  Tuiono about how a lack of mask mandates put vulnerable communities at risk. And finally, Liam spoke with Felicia Low from the University of Auckland about perinatal mental distress..

Earlier this week the City Rail Link reached a milestone, breaking through the end of its final tunnel. The tunnel boring machine created space for the new rail system by breaking through fifteen metres of cement per day.  The machine was Named after Dame Whina Cooper, the Maori Rights activist who led the hikoi to parliament.  For this week's segment of City Counselling, I had a chat with Shane Henderson about the City Rail Link milestone as well as the 2022 Mayoral conservation awards.  

In a major step for Auckland's City Rail Link project, the last of four tunnel breakthroughs is happening tonight. Our reporter Tom Taylor is 15 metres underground at Te Waihorotiu Station, and joins Lisa with the latest.  

Auckland's City Rail Link is nearing a significant milestone, with the tunnel-boring phase of the project almost completed.  Checkpoint's Tom Taylor and Nick Monro headed underground to capture the action.

Auckland's city rail link is the project that appears to keep bleeding money with no end date in sight. The public has already been warned there has been a cost blowout of the originally budgeted $4.4b project. But now bosses have admitted they have no idea when the project will be completed. They even haven't ruled out works going beyond 2025. Chief executive of Auckland Business Chamber, Simon Bridges joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's city rail link is the project that appears to keep bleeding money with no end date in sight. The public has already been warned there has been a cost blowout of the originally budgeted $4.4b project. But now bosses have admitted they have no idea when the project will be completed. They even haven't ruled out works going beyond 2025. Chief executive of Auckland Business Chamber, Simon Bridges joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's multi-billion dollar City Rail Link (CRL) project is a public transport dream providing a key link in the city's rail network or business owners' nightmare with construction impacting business for several years. The currently costed NZ$4.4 billion project will connect Britomart to Mount Eden via a 3.5 km long double-track rail tunnel with two new underground stations being constructed, Te Wai Horotiu near Aotea Square and Karanga a Hape near Karangahape Road. After COVID lockdowns impacted operating schedules and facing delays in our supply chain and labour shortages, the 2024 completion deadline is in limbo. The question on every Aucklander's lips is - when will the CRL be up and running? Wilhelmina Shrimpton spoke to City Rail Link CEO Dr Sean Sweeney about when we could see an update on the project's completion date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland mayoral candidate Wayne Brown is continuing to cast doubts on the value of the City Rail Link. He says the 4.4-billion dollar project was designed for a pre-Covid world, and won't deliver the benefits originally promised. “I think you'll find when the city rail finishes, when the costs have gone up, the times have gone up, and the passengers will go down.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's CBD has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent times. It's been plagued by a number of issues kicked off by the pandemic, a keenly felt absence of international tourists, workers reluctant to return to the office, an exodus of retailers from the midtown and Aotea Square area and ongoing, noisy and ugly disruption caused by the construction of the City Rail Link. The CBD is home to 45,000 residents - but has development been piecemeal and lacking in cohesion and committment to wellbeing?. Julie Stout is an Auckland architect, urbanist and a Professional Teaching Fellow in the masters programme at the University of Auckland's School of Architecture and Planning. Earlier this year, she was the first woman to be awarded the Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal for lifetime achievement. Julie Stout sees a troubling landscape in the city centre but also signs of promise for great design.

The pandemic has impacted the way people work, trade and patronise the central city. The once vibrant centre is missing international tourists, and thousands of workers who are now working from home. This coupled with a proliferation of empty shops for let, the ongoing, disruptive noisy City Rail Link construction project and an increase in crime have affected the face of the city. To discuss how to rise above the multiple challenges - Interim CE of Heart of the City Steve Armitage and Police Inspector Grae Anderson who is the acting Area Commander for Auckland Central.

As city centres crank back into life again, one in particular is looking the worse for wear. Auckland's heart has been plagued by a number of issues kicked off by the pandemic: absent international tourists, workers reluctant to return to the office, an exodus of retailers from the midtown and Aotea Square area and ongoing, noisy and ugly disruption caused by the construction of the City Rail Link. The central city is only 0.8 per cent of Auckland's land area, but it packs a mighty economic punch - at 20 percent - or $23b of the city's GDP. It's also home to 45,000 residents - but those with kids lack a school to send them to. So is it time for a major rethink? Kathryn talks to urban designer Garth Falconer, who says the city doesn't need revival - it needs revolution. She'll also be joined by Antony Philips, chair of the City Centre Residents' Group.

The biggest challenges for Auckland's City Rail Link are likely yet to come, according to the watchdog on government spending. A report into the multibillion dollar project by the Auditor General's office says it will cost more than is budgeted and will take longer than expected, partly due to Covid. The 3.4 kilometre twin tunnel underground rail link is expected to double the number of Aucklanders living within 30 minutes' travel of the city centre. But the report also says the CRL will likely face more disruptions due to supply chain delays and competition for workers. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff talks through the details with Lisa Owen.

Auckland's Mayor says the Central Rail Link project hasn't derailed,  despite concerns from the Auditor-General.A report from the Auditor-General's office praises the project's governance, but has found its budget and timeline is likely to change.It's found supply chain disruption, rising material costs, and trouble recruiting overseas expertise is all contributing.Phil Goff told Mike Hosking he knows despite challenges, that the project will stay on track.He says he's been through the tunnels and seen the boring machine at work.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infometrics' release of their new report "Housing update: A new lens on affordability" dominates the discussion this week, as it brings to the fore the consideration of assessing all payments over the lifetime of a mortgage rather than simply the price paid when bought. The key headline was that it's now the worst time to be a first home buyer in NZ since 1957, and based on the quality of the report it's hard to argue the point. Nick and Kelvin do however, dig into a little bit of the detail of why that is the case and whether it'll once and for all put the generational argument of who had it tougher, to bed!Kelvin also provides an overview of the latest release of the Mapping the Market interactive suburb report and covers off the latest NZAC data (and why doesn't it get the coverage it deserves!?).Lastly this week, here are the links as mentioned:BusinessDesk article on the impact of the City Rail Link stations on property values.Real Estate BreakfastWellington Auckland Kelvin's oneroof articleCheck out all our regular CoreLogic research insights at https://www.corelogic.co.nz/research-news and get in touch on LinkedIn, twitter @NickGoodall_CL or @KDavidson_CL or send us an email on nick.goodall@corelogic.co.nz or kelvin.davidson@corelogic.co.nz 

The timeline for Auckland's City Rail Link project is to be reassessed, as businesses trading alongside a giant trench on Albert St continue to struggle. Some businesses told Checkpoint upcoming rent reviews could cause even more pain. Less than $2 million of the $12 million hardship fund has made its way into local owners' pockets. Nick Truebridge and Nick Monro have the story.  

The City Rail Link say they are working very hard to get money out the door.More than half of applications to the CRL Targeted Hardship Fund have been paid or accepted.Auckland Council and the Crown set up the fund in September last year to help inner-city businesses affected by City Rail Link construction.City Rail Link CEO Sean Sweeney told Mike Hosking the applications require a reasonable amount of information from small businesses.“We've been trying not to delay anything, once we've had the information, it's used and processed within a week and signed off.”Of the 103 applications, 57 have been granted, 17 declined and 29 are being processed.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The City Rail Link say they are working very hard to get money out the door.More than half of applications to the CRL Targeted Hardship Fund have been paid or accepted.Auckland Council and the Crown set up the fund in September last year to help inner-city businesses affected by City Rail Link construction.City Rail Link CEO Sean Sweeney told Mike Hosking the applications require a reasonable amount of information from small businesses.“We've been trying not to delay anything, once we've had the information, it's used and processed within a week and signed off.”Of the 103 applications, 57 have been granted, 17 declined and 29 are being processed.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Central businesses feel let down by the targeted hardship fund.Only just over half of applications to the CRL Targeted Hardship Fund has been paid or accepted.Auckland Council and The Crown set up the fund in September last year to help inner-city businesses affected by City Rail Link construction.The fund has paid out more than $1 million as of last Friday.Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Michael Barnett told Tim Dower the environment businesses operate in has been taken away from them.“They deserve support and instead, they've had hope dangled in front of them and then taken away.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Central businesses feel let down by the targeted hardship fund.Only just over half of applications to the CRL Targeted Hardship Fund has been paid or accepted.Auckland Council and The Crown set up the fund in September last year to help inner-city businesses affected by City Rail Link construction.The fund has paid out more than $1 million as of last Friday.Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Michael Barnett told Tim Dower the environment businesses operate in has been taken away from them.“They deserve support and instead, they've had hope dangled in front of them and then taken away.”LISTEN ABOVE

The government has announced plans for light rail in Auckland, which looks to be New Zealand's most expensive public transport project so far. It will link up with the City Rail Link in the CBD, head to the airport and extend to a future North Shore and northwest light rail. It comes with the price tag of $14 billion, and National does not think it'll leave the station. Jordan Bond has the story, and Lisa Owen talks to Transport Minister Michael Wood.

The government is on track to make a major announcement about Auckland's light rail system on Friday, which will cost between nine and 14.6 billion dollars.  Tāmaki Makaurau's city centre business association is concerned the project will disrupt hundreds of businesses in the same the way the City Rail Link construction has. Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck spoke to Corin Dann.

Businesses decimated by the construction of Auckland's City Rail Link say hardship payments are long overdue - but don't nearly cover their losses. Those on Albert Street in central Auckland say the disruption has deterred most of their customers, and many have closed their doors at a loss. Today the government and Auckland Council announced a $12 million hardship fund for affected shops. Jordan Bond reports.

An Albert Street business owner, struggling to turn a profit alongside ongoing City Rail Link works, has let rip in the blame game being played by the government.  Transport Minister Michael Wood says the absence of compensation for businesses is partly because the last National government did not provide any funding.  But Shobhana Ranchhodji said she has heard it all before - another politician, another promise, but still no pay off.  Nick Truebridge has the story.

Auckland's Albert St business owners are seeing red after being offered two thousand dollars worth of business advice as they struggle to survive. They are trading alongside the $4.4 billion City Rail Link Project behind huge walls in some cases hidden from public view. Checkpoint reporter Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nick Monro have the story. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6261651896001

Central Auckland business owners say officials have been complacent in the "decimation" of their livelihoods during City Rail Link construction.After more than four years of road closures and construction noise, two dozen people protested on the steps of the Auckland Council offices this morning demanding compensation.They used placards and a loudhailer to voice their frustrations ahead of the closure of the Albert and Victoria St intersection next week.Owner of the Shakespeare Hotel and Brewery on Albert St, Sunny Kaushal, blamed disruption from the project for an estimated $2 million in missed revenue since 2016.He said he couldn't keep borrowing money week after week."The debts are mounting and it has been very very hard. It's taking a toll on our health. It's taking a toll on every worker's job. We have to pay the rent, we have to pay the expenses, we have to pay the rates," he said.The business owners submitted a proposal in January asking for a share of their rent to be paid, at a cost of about $10m each year.However chief executive of Heart of the City, Viv Beck, said they hadn't heard back about it."We haven't had the opportunity to work through that with officials. That's not good enough. So this is about the people coming to the decision makers, raising their voices," she said.The owner of Attic Backpackers Michael Leroy-Dyson said he was using his retirement savings to pay staff, after the double whammy of the pandemic and construction disruption.He said he would have closed his business if he could."I think most of us are locked into leases that we can't get out of because of personal guarantees. Many of these people would have just closed up and gone but they've got no choice but to file all their life savings or borrow money just to try and stay alive," he said."It's a $5 billion project. I would have thought putting a few million or even a few tens of millions into helping businesses that are being affected by this would be a sensible and reasonable way to run a project."A spokesperson for the office of mayor Phil Goff noted there had already been $617,000 in direct financial support to businesses impacted by the construction delays, through a hardship programme in 2019.It was distributed to 25 businesses, all on lower Albert St.The spokesperson said the Government had now asked the Ministry of Transport to investigate if that could be adapted, to provide support to other businesses facing hardship from construction."The mayor is supportive of the Government's direction," they said.Meanwhile, the spokesperson said landlords in the area could also help struggling small businesses."There will be a substantial value uplift for properties close to the City Rail Link connections, which means property owners will receive a significant benefit because of the expenditure of ratepayer and taxpayer money. The mayor believes it is reasonable for property owners to look at how they can support their tenants during the construction period."Transport Minister Michael Wood wasn't present at the protest as business owners hoped, but told RNZ in a statement that the Government was "carefully working through" compensation requests.He said the previous government did not create a process or budget for business compensation when the project was first set up.The business owners plan further demonstrations if their demands are not met.By Katie Todd of RNZ

Out of pocket Auckland businesses trading alongside a giant City Rail Link trench say they may fold before the project's complete. The Albert Street business owners protested outside the Auckland Council building today, demanding compensation for interruption caused by the $4.4 billion underground rail project. Here's our reporter Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nick Monro  

Auckland central city business operators will demonstrate on the steps of Auckland council this morning - demanding answers and compensation, after what they say have been years of disruption to their livelihoods. City leaders have been invited to hear about the impact the City Rail Link construction has had on small businesses in particular. Many fear they are on the brink of closure. Restaurateur Ana Hewlett and florist Shobhana Ranchhodji spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Auckland central city business operators will demonstrate on the steps of Auckland council this morning - demanding answers and compensation, after what they say have been years of disruption to their livelihoods. City leaders have been invited to hear about the impact the City Rail Link construction has had on small businesses in particular. Many fear they are on the brink of closure. Restaurateur Ana Hewlett and florist Shobhana Ranchhodji spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Businesses around Auckland's famed Karangahape Road are facing yet more financial woe, as City Rail Link construction drags on. Today, the Transport Minister and Auckland city officials lauded the Karangahape Road Enhancements project, which has seen the street tidied up, and cycleways installed. However the pain rolls on for businesses on Pitt Street, which runs into Karangahape Road. Huge barriers have turned the central city street into a noisy, narrow lane, shielding owners from the people who pay their bills. With CRL works delayed by Covid-19, the government may be forced to extend a Business Hardship Programme that's already paid out hundreds of thousands.

Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck says it's time the government started showing a bit more urgency in compensating Auckland businesses affected by the City Rail Link. She spoke to Tim Roxborogh and Tim Beveridge on the Weekend Collective.

Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck says it's time the government started showing a bit more urgency in compensating Auckland businesses affected by the City Rail Link. She spoke to Tim Roxborogh and Tim Beveridge on the Weekend Collective.

The Government's trying to get Auckland's light rail back on track.In a bid to better engage Aucklanders in the project, the Transport Minister has put together an establishment unit.It has six months to talk with communities, provide cost estimates and funding options and decide the best mode and route.The group will also consider whether light rail should be delivered by City Rail Link - or a new joint venture with Auckland Council.It'll be led by a governance board, with an independent chair and local government, community and Maori representatives.Meanwhile,  Brisbane is lifting its lockdown half a day early.Health officials have reported one new community case linked to a cluster in Queensland's capital.Residents were put under stay-at-home orders three days ago - over fears of a growing outbreak.It comes just five days before Jacinda Ardern will announce a start date for a trans-Tasman travel bubble. So is this positive news for the announcement?Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to recap the week in politics.LISTEN ABOVE 

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says his 10-year Recovery Budget proposal prioritises value for money.Goff is proposing selling surplus properties to invest in critical infrastructure - as a response to the $1 billion loss in revenue.He also wants a one-off 5 percent rates increase for the next financial year, before reverting to 3.5 the following year.Phil Goff says it was a tough budget to put together.He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Covid-19 has thrown a spanner into the works of what the council was hoping to do.Asked about Herald sources that have said water rates could rise by 8 per cent, Goff says that would be Watercare's decision."They have a statutory ability to set their water rates."He says that they have raised it, but have not yet made a decision, and he doesn't know if it will be 8 per cent.On congestion charges proposed yesterday, Goff says that they will likely replace the Regional Fuel Tax in 2025, once the City Rail Link opens and there are alternative transport options for Aucklanders."One will be phased in and one will be phased out."LISTEN ABOVE

Thousands of people are getting their first glimpse inside Auckland's City Rail Link tunnels.Only 10,000 people have tickets for today's highly anticipated Walk the Tunnels event, with many more missing out on tickets.Most of the first people inside the tunnel are families. Many are taking large family photographs at the deepest accessible point.Access is being staggered, with people being given times to view throughout the day.Transport minister Phil Twyford was among the first inside the tunnel at 8am.Sean Sweeney, CEO of the City Rail Link looks through the tunnels under Albert St ahead of the Open Day. Photo / Greg BowkerHe said he liked what he saw, and it was good to see progress on a key part of the Government's transport plan.City Rail Link Ltd Chief Executive Sean Sweeney said he had been positively surprised by the unprecedented interest in the event.He said while there would not be another Open Day in the near future, he was hoping for further open days for other parts of the project before the City Rail Link is completed.