Simon Henderson looks at highlights from the Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board on September 4.
Railway concerns
Safety concerns regarding the reopening of the Taieri Gorge railway line were a central point of discussion during the last Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board meeting.
Following on from the April meeting of the community board when Mosgiel resident Kevin Phillips raised safety concerns about the condition of tracks along the line, Dunedin Railways commercial operations general manager Rebekah Jenkins, health, safety and training manager Donal Ross and DCL Consulting structural engineer Dave Charters attended last week’s meeting of the board.
Chairman Andrew Simms raised several issues, specifically referencing two independent reports prepared for the Dunedin City Council by engineering consultancy firms Holmes NZ and Vitruvius in 2022.
He expressed concerns about the condition of the railway bridges, pointing out Holmes had recommended the immediate replacement of rail beams and corbels in poor condition.
Mr Simms underscored the gravity of potential structural failures, stating that a failure could lead to catastrophic consequences, including endangering the lives of up to 250 passengers.
He also expressed unease about blocked culverts, which he said the Holmes report had identified as a significant safety issue, suggesting the blockage could compromise the railway’s integrity during rain.
Responding to these concerns, Mr Charters defended the safety of the line.
Unlike Holmes, which had performed only visual assessments, Mr Charters’ team had drilled into the timber and steel components of the structures, concluding that the decay was not critical.
He maintained the track remained structurally sound, and the replacement of certain elements could be staged over time without immediate risk.
Mr Charters said ongoing inspections, including the use of real-time monitoring, ensured any emerging issues would be promptly addressed.
Ms Jenkins said recent work to upgrade the viaduct included replacing five of eight spans of wooden rail beams with steel, which its consulting engineer had approved.
"The remaining rail beams have also been strengthened and will be replaced within the next three years when required, as will corbels by June 2025."
Dunedin Railways is preparing to restart journeys from Dunedin to Pukerangi on October 5.
Planter boxes
The Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board has granted $1000 to the Rotary Club of Mosgiel towards the costs of maintaining 17 planter boxes in the town’s shopping area.
Club member Colin Mackintosh said the planter boxes had been maintained by the club for a number of years.
Each box is planted with shrubs and geraniums in the summer and in the winter months they are planted with pansies and polyanthus.
Funds for meeting
The Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board has allocated up to $2000 towards costs for a community information evening to include a presentation from Associate Prof Caroline Orchiston about preparing for an AF8 earthquake event.
It will also include a response from the Civil Defence Emergency Management Agency and Fire and Emergency New Zealand to a community emergency, and a presentation on the work of the Dunedin City Council and Mosgiel-Taieri Community Emergency Response group.
