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Lockdown stalls City Rail Link TBM

Central Interceptor Tunnel

The developing COVID-19 situation in New Zealand has slowed down TBM progress on Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL). 

After the Prime Minister reinstated level 4 lockdown restrictions last Wednesday 18 August, City Rail confirmed all construction would be immediately suspended for at least seven days. 

CRL Chief Executive Officer Dr Sean Sweeney said that the company’s immediate priority was to ensure the safety of its staff and the security of its sites. 

Subsequently, CRL has advised the government that it would operate its TBM at a reduced level.

“TBMs are not designed to be ‘parked’ underground for an open-ended period – they need  to keep moving forward, even at reduced capacity, to avoid the risk of getting stuck,” said Dr Sweeney.

Dr Sweeney said the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment had been advised of the rationale for operating the TBM within current regulations. 

“We will be operating on a ‘do minimum/as necessary’ basis that falls within the parameters of this month’s Covid-19 Public Health Response Order.

“This low-level operation will allow us to remove the risk of pressure from earth settling around a stationary TBM and ‘trapping’ the machine,” he said.  

The TBM, ‘Dane Whina Cooper’, named in honour of the Māori rights champion, is valued at  $13 million and has been built specifically for Auckland’s soil conditions.

For more information and to track Dame Whina Cooper’s progress, visit the City Rail Link website. 

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