Today KiwiRail has confirmed it will defer work to replace ageing sleepers, rail and other structural maintenance on the Ava Rail Bridge in Lower Hutt until the end of the year.
A pedestrian walkway attached to the bridge, which was due to close on Sunday, will now stay open until a few months before the usual Wellington rail network closure begins in late December.
Wellington Metro Infrastructure Manager, Manjot Singh says KiwiRail has been working with walkway owner, Hutt City Council, Metlink and Wellington metro train operator Transdev on the deferral plan.
“The rail bridge is safe but the sleepers and rail are aging and need to be replaced, to ensure the reliability of Hutt Valley and Wairarapa Line passenger trains. At the same time, we recognise how important the walkway is to the community,” said Mr Singh.
“To strike a balance, we are able to push the planned bridge renewals out to Christmas.
“It gives all parties time to consider replacement options. KiwiRail is helping by preparing an options study for the Hutt City Council, which will give an understanding of the different forms a replacement bridge could take and the costs involved.
“We’re pleased to be part of a solution that keeps the walkway open for longer. We will continue working with all the parties involved to ensure train services can continue running smoothly and a plan is developed so that Lower Hutt locals can continue to have access across the river at Ava.”
Director of Economy and Development Hutt City Council, Jon Kingsbury said the Ava walkway was a well-utilised route that many people in the community use.
“We now have time to continue working together with KiwiRail on options for pedestrian access across the river,” he said.
Transport Minister, Chris Bishop said KiwiRail had commissioned a study looking at options and expects to provide it to Hutt City Council in the coming weeks.
“This study will give the Council solid information on what a replacement walkway across the river at Ava could look like,” he said.
“The existing walkway will still close towards the end of this year, ahead of the rail work, but by then the community should have a clear path forward.
“This is a sensible outcome, and I thank KiwiRail and Metlink, who operate the trains, for their understanding.”
Metlink group manager, Samantha Gain says Metlink and Transdev will work alongside KiwiRail, as the asset owner, to replan the project.
“There is already a 40kmh speed restriction on the rail bridge, due to the track’s condition. We understand KiwiRail will be increasing bridge inspections and taking steps to manage any further issues that could arise.”
“Metlink, Transdev and KiwiRail are committed to ensuring train services continue to run safely and reliably using the bridge, until the renewal work can be carried out later this year,” she said.
The Ava Rail Bridge and its walkway date back to the 1920s. The walkway sits on extended railway sleepers, which is not permitted under modern rail engineering standards. When the rail renewals work on the bridge begins, the walkway in its current form will be removed.
The walkway was planned to close on 23 February, so preparatory work could be undertaken ahead of the rail infrastructure on the bridge being replaced in April.
Instead, preparatory work, requiring the walkway to close, is now expected to begin a month or two before the Christmas network closure.
The Ava Bridge upgrade is funded from the Budget 2024 $52.9 million investment in the Wellington metro network. It is part of a more than $1 billion Government investment in the Wellington region’s rail network.
