Project

Pukekohe Train Station is the last stop on Auckland’s Southern Line, which stretches almost 50 kilometres to Britomart.

In August 2022, KiwiRail and Auckland Transport began a major redevelopment of Pukekohe Train Station. Thanks to our specialist knowledge of accessibility detailing in built environments, the Freedom Works team joined the project and helped to guide it towards code compliance.

Our team found that the tactile pavers initially specified in the station’s design were not optimal for the constructed platform. To address this discrepancy, Freedom Works entered a phase of product development and testing. We transformed our standard 60mm paver design into a specialised 25mm solution that was far better suited to the needs of the project.

These tactile pavers now create bold yellow patterns along the platform of Pukekohe Train Station and at the bases of staircases, warning visually impaired commuters of changes in ground level and preparing them for train entry and egress.

While tactile solutions were a great start for safety-proofing the platform, more work was needed to keep commuters safe in their travels. Accordingly, our team added anti-slip stair nosing with yellow carborundum strips to the station’s external stairways. These stair nosings are new to the Freedom Works collection: they feature an extra strip of colour along the front of the riser, an enhancement that creates a high-contrast visual warning to aid movement.

In the time that this station was closed, KiwiRail worked on upgrading the platform and preparing for electrification of the rail line. In February 2025, the train station was reopened with the capacity for six-carriage electric trains, enabling faster and more frequent journeys.

Pukekohe is the first of four major stations to be redeveloped as part of the Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification Development plan, which will help fortify and futureproof the southern rail network.

This station represents the future we want to see for public transport infrastructure in our country: a space that’s accessible for all users, with every consideration given to safety and practicality.