A passenger train banned from downtown Auckland due to safety concerns after it ran two red lights, has been given the go ahead to return to the CBD from August 7th.
Waka Kotahi slapped Te Huia, the Hamilton to Auckland train, with a prohibition order after two different drivers crashed stop signs on the network in two separate incidents; in one case another commuter train was forced to stop to avoid a potential collision.
Since then Te Huia has been stopping more than 3km from the CBD at Papakura.
As a condition of reentry into the city, the Transport Agency had said the train needed to be fitted with a specific sophisticated electronic control system that monitors the train in real time and can slow or take control of it.
That hasn't happened but Waka Kotahi Director of Land Transport Neil Cook, explains they have reached an agreement on safety measures.