A new rail link to Northland’s Marsden Point is now one step closer, with a detailed business case being progressed by KiwiRail.

It is now up to Government ministers to give the final green light to the project, even though the total costs are not publicly known.

The 19km rail link will connect Whangārei’s port, Northport, with the existing North Auckland Line at Oakleigh, unlocking the port to deliver more of the country’s goods.

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has long been an advocate of Ports of Auckland shifting to Northport, allowing the inner-Auckland port to close and be replaced by waterfront apartments.

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Brown recently said the Government needed a “big prod” to finish the last 20km of rail to Northport, shifting its focus from light rail to enable the project to happen.

The route has been designated for rail use since 2012.

However, it didn’t get a final push until June 2021, when Transport Minister Michael Wood and Finance Minister Grant Robertson said it was needed as a “strategic investment in Northland’s future prosperity”.

The rail spur cost was not announced at the time, with the costs to be confirmed in a detailed business case.

The rail spur was controversially funded over four-laning a dangerous stretch of State Highway 1 from Whangārei to SH15, where there were 56 deaths and serious injuries between 2015 and 2019.

In July 2022, the KiwiRail Board considered a draft business case for the rail link but it needed to be developed further before being approved.

It was progressed by the end of 2022, with the work expected to take five years once approved, according to KiwiRail’s integrated report for 2022.

A spokesperson said the business case was now with the Government for its consideration, with an announcement expected “in due course”.

Meanwhile, KiwiRail has been repairing the North Auckland Line, which has been out of action since severe weather hit in January.

KiwiRail executive general manager construction Robert Gibbes said a massive 35,000m³ slip was brought down across the rail line at Tahekeroa, near Helensville, after severe flooding in late January.

This was then followed by further flood damage and about 50 slips onto the rail line during Cyclone Gabrielle.

Repairs had been done at four major washouts but a number of other slips below the rail line still needed repairing, Gibbes said.

Good progress was being made on clearing the Tahekeroa slip, he said, but it would take another month before the slip was cleared and crews could start repairing the rail line.

The line was expected to be closed at least until June, he said, with repair costs covered by insurance.

The Tahekeroa slip occurred on the same day as the North Auckland Line took its first 18-tonne axle load – a larger load used as standard throughout the rest of the North Island.

The line was upgraded from taking only light axle locomotives and upgraded to take conventional shipping containers, as part of a $178.5m Provincial Growth Fund upgrade.

Costs for rail spur won’t be revealed

Meanwhile, costs for the 19km Marsden Point rail spur will not be publicly revealed.

A May 2021 briefing paper said KiwiRail’s estimate of $289 million was from a pre-Covid 2018 estimate and would likely rise.

The cost excluded the buying of land and an on-port rail grid, which was expected to be funded by Northport.

A November 2021 Cabinet paper specifically redacted the funding for the rail line.

Stuff made an Official Information Act request for information which would detail costs and any concerns about the Marsden Point rail link, but the request was rejected to maintain the confidentiality of advice tendered by ministers.