Public transport alternatives to mitigate Melling Station closure

The Melling Line will remain open with Metlink rail services terminating at Western Hutt Station during construction of the Melling Transport Improvements(external link) for Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi.

Public transport alternatives for passengers affected by the temporary closure of Melling Station during construction were presented to the Greater Wellington Transport Committee on Thursday 3 April.

Regional council chair Daran Ponter says Metlink is grateful to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) for funding the infrastructure to make Western Hutt the terminal station.

“We also appreciate the additional Park and Ride NZTA will temporarily provide for our passengers at Petone Station,” Cr Ponter says.

“Initially, we thought the entire Melling Line would need to close but in the spirit of partnership we came together with NZTA, Hutt City Council and Mana Whenua to find solutions that best serve the public.”

Each weekday, approximately 370 passengers board Metlink trains at Melling Station, which will close along with its Park and Ride for approximately 36 months from late December 2025 or January 2026.

Transport Committee chair Thomas Nash says Metlink anticipates bus and train use will increase during construction as road-users choose public transport over the congestion expected on State Highway 2.

“Peak time services on the Hutt Valley Line are currently below patronage capacity, so space is available for Melling Station passengers and others switching to rail,” Cr Nash says.

“To minimise congestion and maximise regional productivity, we’ll work with KiwiRail and other partners to find ways to make the Hutt Valley Line a more reliable option for commuters.”

Bus routes 145 and 149 that link suburbs in the western hills to Melling Station will be rerouted or extended to connect passengers with the Hutt Valley Line at Waterloo Station, where fares to Wellington are the same as from Melling. Metlink will explore optimising the 150 bus from Kelson to better connect with the rail network.

Bike racks are available at Waterloo and Petone stations for the roughly 1% of Melling Station passengers who may choose to continue cycling to access the rail network. Metlink will investigate installing bike racks at Western Hutt Station.

Cyclists can reach Petone Station on the recently completed Pito-one to Melling section of Te Ara Tupua cycleway and will eventually have other active travel options on the cycling and walking paths to be built as part of the improvements.

The reopening of Melling Station will be aligned with the completion of the City Link bridge, a direct connection between the Lower Hutt city centre and the station for pedestrians and cyclists. Vehicle access to the station will be limited until the improvements are fully complete.

Metlink has joined the Hutt Valley Disruption Stakeholder Group, which will manage the effects of construction on the transport network and help with developing any additional public transport options to mitigate the station closure.

Metlink will also engage with communities impacted by the temporary closure of Melling Station to make them aware of the public transport alternatives.