George Street rail level crossing
We’re planning to replace western rail level crossings with safer connections.
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Project details
Start date
March 2026End date
TBCLocation
KingslandTransport involved
Walking, driving and cyclingOverview
To find safer, smoother ways to keep you moving as the city grows and more trains are needed, we’re planning for the future of the George Street rail crossing.
It is part of the Western Rail Crossings Programme, to allow more frequent trains while keeping traffic moving, improving safety and supporting urban development.
Generally low numbers of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians use George Street to travel between Dominion Road and New North Road, and to get to and from businesses and homes in the area. The crossing is in a physically constrained area so potential solutions may be complex and expensive.
This section of the Western Line carries the most train passengers, as it is closest to the city centre, so it is important that it works well and that safety and rail reliability is improved as train services increase in the future.
Latest updates
From March 2026, we engaged with our partners, stakeholders, businesses and local communities. We shared information about the Rail Level Crossings Programme and heard initial feedback. Groups we talked to included:
- local government representatives, like local boards and councillors
- mana whenua representatives
- transport advocacy organisations
- community stakeholders, like schools and business associations
- residents and commuters, who regularly use rail crossings.
What we've heard from the community
We received 205 survey responses for George Street. We heard that:
- while most people prefer to keep it as-is, the community are open to safety improvements
- layout is difficult to navigate, with slopes, uneven surfaces, and poor visibility
- there is congestion at peak times, especially when barriers are down
- queues make it hard to access New North Road
- it is important to maintain an east–west connection
- alternative routes must be safe and able to handle traffic if changes occur.
Steep gradients on George Street mean that a road overbridge would require long ramps, which could affect nearby properties and driveways. The short length of George Street and its steep gradient mean a road trench is not feasible here.
The rail line at this location sits very close to other major rail structures such as the CRL tunnels and Dominion Road overbridge, which means it is very difficult to change track levels.
Timeline
Investment case
During the next two years, we’ll identify the preferred approach to replace western rail level crossings with safer connections, and how to prioritise when they’re built. This is key to developing an investment case to seek funding for future phases.
This stage includes:
- Technical assessments: such as traffic and pedestrian counts, safety audits, ground investigations, environmental and flood analysis, and urban design studies. We’ll consider past trends, current conditions and future needs.
- Community input: we’ll engage mana whenua, local boards, elected members, schools, businesses and communities to understand how crossings are used today and what’s needed for the future.
We’ll share what we find to support discussions about potential options, including key constraints and trade-offs. Community feedback will help shape the preferred approach for each crossing.
Statutory approvals
After an approved investment case, the next step will be to seek funding for statutory approvals. These are needed to consent or protect the land required for a future crossing.
Protecting land now means that projects can be constructed in stages as funding is available.
It also provides property owners, businesses and the community with certainty on where transport routes will be in the future. This can help people make informed decisions about their own land and the development of that land.
During this phase, we will:
- Engage one-to-one with directly affected landowners.
- Continue working with elected members, mana whenua and stakeholders.
Detailed design and construction
Designs will continue to be refined through targeted engagement in this phase.
Construction will be staged according to network needs. While we expect to start replacing some rail crossings in the Inner West from early to mid-2030s, timeframes are dependent on funding.
During this phase, we will:
- Engage one-to-one with directly affected landowners.
- Continue working with elected members, mana whenua, and key stakeholders.
- Communicate clearly with communities about construction timing, disruption, and how we'll manage the impacts of construction.
Community feedback
Project background
The next 20 to 30 years will see more people living, working and studying close to the rail corridor, especially train stations. That means more people taking trains, walking and cycling to stations and more activity around the rail corridor.
Replacing rail crossings with safer connections is key to unlocking the full City Rail Link benefits of allowing even more trains to run in the future while making it safer and easier to get around your local area. It also supports urban development.
If we don’t replace level crossings people may take more risks as barrier arms are down more often and there will be increased congestion, impacting the economy.