All Blacks help kick off redeveloped Kingsland station

ARTA Media Release
Thursday 1 July 2010

A significant achievement in Auckland’s preparations for Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) will be ticked off with the opening of the redeveloped Kingsland train station next Monday, 5 July.

Members of the All Blacks squad will join a host of dignitaries including RWC 2011 Minister Murray McCully at Monday’s official opening with the All Blacks arriving by train from Britomart – just like thousands of fans will for next year’s Tournament.

Kingsland station will play a pivotal role in RWC 2011 moving tens of thousands of people to and from games at Eden Park.  The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) has redeveloped the station by widening and lengthening the platforms which will allow for more people to board longer trains - getting fans to and from matches at Eden Park faster.

Bruce Barnard, Auckland RWC 2011 Transport Director, says “Eden Park will be the hub of RWC 2011 and as a result Kingsland station has been upgraded significantly, helping people get onto trains more quickly.

“The Kingsland station upgrade, which has involved realigning Sandringham Road, has been completed in time for the Investec Tri Nations test on 10 July between the All Blacks and South Africa. This will allow us to test for the first time the Eden Park Traffic Management Plan.

“A high percentage of visitors to Eden Park now travel by public transport. For RWC 2011 matches we expect to move at least 15,000 fans away from the stadium after a game in just 70 minutes, with trains running from Kingsland every five minutes.

“After matches, nine trains will be stacked between Kingsland and Morningside, four on one line and five on the other to move people from Kingsland to Britomart with a stop at Grafton”.

Mr Barnard says that a new underpass at Kingsland station will also be open to the public for the first time at the Tri Nations match, giving passengers a second access point to the northern platform. This new piece of infrastructure has been specifically built to speed up passenger movements around the station, helping people get to and from major events at Eden Park.  

“Overall, Kingsland plays a key role in the Eden Park Traffic Management Plan, where we  propose to move 75% of fans by train, bus, coach, taxi or walking, which equates to 45,000 fans for the RWC finals.”

Nigel Cass, General Manager Tournament Services for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011, says public transport will be a big factor in adding to the match day experience of fans so Kingsland Station’s reopening is a significant milestone.

“Auckland’s public transport upgrades, coupled with Eden Park being on track for completion later this year, mean key elements of infrastructure needed for RWC 2011 will be ready well before the Tournament kicks off and that is a fantastic sign of the city’s readiness.”

ARTA’s Chairman Rabin Rabindran says “Kingsland station not only holds an important position for RWC 2011 plans, but its extended platforms and enhanced access points will benefit the community significantly now and in the future.”

Other elements of the Kingsland station upgrade include an additional emergency fire egress, additional access points to the southern platform, improved emergency lighting and additional CCTV.

A full train operation test for RWC 2011 will be carried out early in 2011 once the signaling upgrade is completed between Kingsland and Britomart by KiwiRail. Passengers will then be loaded at Kingsland from both platforms heading into Britomart. Patrons heading to the west would in this instance use Morningside station that was refurbished and opened by Transport Minister Steven Joyce in 2009.

Kingsland station is the first of a number of upgrades happening around Eden Park including the new Wairepo Swamp Walk  between Sandringham and Walters roads, which is due to be completed in late August, and the widening of Sandringham Road which will be finished in October.

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For media enquiries please call:

Sharon Hunter, Communications Manager, Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA)
09 379 4422 ext. 9074 or 021 545 230

ARTA is Auckland’s central transport agency and is responsible for the integrated planning, funding and implementation of transport (with the exception of State Highways and national rail) throughout the Auckland region.