Commuters arriving on the Kapiti line. Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens
Train services resumed in Wellington after two suspensions due to a widespread signal outage.
A fault cancelled all trains early on Thursday, with services resuming just before 8am. But shortly after 8.30am Metlink advised that services on the Kāpiti, Melling and Hutt Valley lines had been suspended again.
Metlink said those services had since resumed, but passengers should expect severe delays and possible cancelled services on those lines.
"Signals around Wellington Railway Station have now been repaired and all trains can access the station. There will be some ongoing service delays as displaced trains and crews return to normal schedule."
A KiwiRail spokesperson said the signal fault was caused by a power supply failure which it was investigating.
Metlink senior manager of operations Paul Tawharu said a KiwiRail signal/power outage at Wellington Station occurred at 6am meaning trains were unable to enter or leave the station.
"Power to signals at Wellington Station was restored by 9.20am. Services have resumed running on all lines and trains and staff are working to return to schedule."
Hour-long wait for bus replacement
A train arriving from Woburn on the Hutt line shortly after 8am was full and unable to pick up any new passengers.
The conductor told commuters the next train would have capacity to take people to Petone for bus replacement.
Heidi and Nicky had to wait over an hour for a bus replacement. Heidi said that wasn't good enough and it had been freezing cold waiting.
Among the first passengers to arrive at Wellington Station was Alison who caught the train from Upper Hutt.
She said the train stopped at Petone and passengers were told there were bus replacements, but she was able to get through on the Wairarapa train, although it went slowly the whole way.
She caught the train at 6.40am and arrived just before 8am.
Commuters arriving on the Kapiti line. Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens
Commuters arriving on the Kapiti line. Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens
A worker at Wellington Station said the fault was between Wellington and Kaiwharawhara.
Karen Shaw said her daughter's commute to Porirua for her course had been delayed as a result of the signal fault.
Greater Wellington Regional Council Transport Spokesperson Thomas Nash told Midday Report that they'd sought assurances from KiwiRail and Transdev that people should be able to get home on a train tonight.
"[KiwiRail have] now assured us that a component to the power supply of the new electronic signalling system at Wellington Station has been replaced," Nash said
"We've also had assurances from the operator Transdev that trains are now being repositioned so that normal service can resume on all lines from 1pm today."
Several commuters reported waiting over an hour for a bus replacement, and Nash said unplanned replacements always posed a problem.
"Because at peak times buses are obviously doing their job on the bus routes."
Nash said they would be reviewing their operational communications with passengers waiting on the platform.
"I think we know that that isn't good enough and we need to do better."
