Church Street East level crossing
Learn more about the last remaining level crossing on the busiest part of the rail network between Waitemata Station and Takakini.
Project details
Overview
We are removing the Church Street East level crossing in Penrose to ready the rail network for the City Rail Link (CRL).
Options that were considered
We understand that removing the Church Street East level crossing may be inconvenient for local businesses, and some people walking or cycling.
In 2021 we started with a Single Stage Business Case (SSBC) to determine the need for removing the level crossing and explore the possible options for maintaining safe and easy access for everyone.
Our investigations focused on three options:
- make no changes to the level crossing
- remove the level crossing without mitigation
- remove the level crossing with mitigation.
Mitigation may involve making changes to the surrounding area to ensure people can maintain safe and easy access to nearby businesses after the level crossing is removed.
Our investigations concluded that removing the level crossing with mitigation is the preferred option. This is because:
- making no changes to the level crossing is not possible because we must comply with rail safety regulations associated with increasing train frequency
- removing the level crossing without mitigation would negatively impact nearby businesses who rely on deliveries from large container trucks and the alternative route is currently not suitable for these large trucks
- removing the level crossing with mitigations will ensure safe and easy access for everyone after the level crossing is removed, including large trucks.
Our engagement on the preferred option
In 2022 we began been working with nearby businesses to better understand the impacts and minimise these impacts as much as possible.
This engagement was not about the removal itself because of the safety regulations we must comply with.
We are continuing to work with the businesses who are most impacted to refine the preferred option. This work is ongoing.
We will share more information about the preferred option with the wider community after this initial engagement with businesses.