New tram tracks will have to be dug up and re-laid
Part of a multimillion-dollar extension to Christchurch’s tram route is to be ripped up and replaced, just a year after it was built.
The new $3.6 million, 500m loop was only open for six months before it was closed in January when a tram derailed on the Poplar St bend.
Trams have been barred from using the section of track since.
Transport operations manager Stephen Wright said the council had investigated the cause of the derailment and determined it was a result of several factors, including areas where the track levels were “slightly out of tolerance”.
The tracks would be re-laid and upgraded, he said.
The council would not say how much this would cost or how much of the track had to be re-laid, claiming it was commercially sensitive information.
Read the full story from reporter Tina Law here (subscription required - first two articles a month free).
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DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
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Poll: Canterbury is thriving on paper... but are you seeing evidence of Canterbury's improving economy?
As reported in the Press, Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman recently gave a shout-out to our region, calling Canterbury a "stand-out" for how we recover from tough times. With tech firms growing and exporters investing, the business side of things is looking bright!
👉 But we know that "business growth" doesn't always mean the weekly shop gets any cheaper. While the city expands, many families feel like they’re just trying to keep their heads above water.
We want to know: With the business buzz of 2026, do you feel like things are finally looking up for your household, or does it still feel like a climb?
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18.2% Yes
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56.8% No
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25% In some areas ...
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