Auckland entrepreneurs hit by 96-day rail closure

For eight years, Shobanna Rachodji has had to deal with disruptions caused by the rail link project outside their flower shop, Roma Blooms, on Albert St.

The news that the rail system will be closed at various points for 96 days from now until 2026 was another blow.

The first shutdown, which falls just after Christmas this year and will last a whole month, was particularly tough as they pinned their hopes on a busy summer trading season this year.

“We shape the city, we help tourism, we help the people that we hoped so many more people would come to at this time.”

Rachodji said companies should have been notified early and consulted about the track closures.

“We had to talk to them before buying shares for those months.

“What do we do with our stock? We ordered in advance.”

A $12 million targeted hardship fund was launched in 2021 to provide businesses with some rent relief, but Rachodji said this did not go far enough.

“It takes care of the landlords, that’s all it is. It has nothing to do with the way our time was wasted throughout the project, so no compensation for the time wasted.”

Chief executive of Heart of the City, Auckland’s city center business association, Viv Beck echoed these concerns.

She acknowledged the work was essential, but said the rail link project has been significantly delayed and has been taking a major toll on businesses for almost a decade.

“Watching that press conference, I really thought that the Auckland Government and Council, as sponsors of this project, have been doing a great disservice to affected businesses for almost a decade.

“It was a fight every step of the way to get support for them.”

Beck said the last update she received on the targeted hardship fund was that only $7 million of the $12 million promised over two years had been spent.

“So there is money to address some of the long-standing grievances. There was no will to do that and I really believe the Auckland Government and Council need to take action on this issue.”

Beck said while the fund helped them survive, it was not adequate compensation and companies should have been consulted about the closures.

Brown acknowledged that businesses will bear the brunt of the closures, but said the work was urgent.

“We have to work 24 hours a day so that it can be as efficient as possible, but look, I don’t discount the fact that we have an impact.

“But the reality is that if we don’t get this work done now, there will be continued disruption when the City Rail Link opens and I don’t think this will be very good for businesses and commuters in Auckland. forward.”

With New Year’s Eve and major concerts such as DJ Fisher and Plain Sailing in Auckland’s Victoria Park, SailGP and the ASB Classic all scheduled for January, questions are being raised about how visitors will get around the city.

Auckland Transport public transport director Stacey van Der Putten said there will be extra buses to accommodate passengers during the track closures.

“We will have a comprehensive bus replacement strategy, which will include priority services.

“Special events will obviously be a challenge for us, so we are working with our stakeholders to minimize this as much as possible.”

Van Der Putten said AT has prioritized some closures during school holidays to allow for the use of school buses.

Brown assured Aucklanders the closure was “the final push to ensure we get this done and completed”.

But for small businesses like Rachodji’s, the minister’s words offer little comfort after almost a decade of disruption.

Because the closures would take place during the school holidays, acting Auckland mayor Desley Simpson told RNZ’s Checkpoint School buses would be available to use as an alternative transportation option.

“Although the railway line will be closed, access to the city will not be – additional buses will be running.”

Companies didn’t find out until the announcement was made Friday, Simpson said, but this was as much notice as possible.

“They were still watching this at 11pm last night. You’re still going to get people using buses on the same routes. We have learned from international examples and if we did not do it at the lowest times, it would take much longer.”

Compensation was available to companies upon request, she said.

There will also be less rail freight during that time, Simpson said, which she said would mean more trucks on the road.

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