A passenger train service connecting Hamilton and Tauranga is in the works after local community initiatives joined forces to come up with a concrete plan - which even made waves in Parliament. Read more at NZ Herald.
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Save Our Trains Campaign says the launch of an inquiry into the future of inter-regional passenger rail in New Zealand by the Transport and Infrastructure Committee offers a chance to reset decades of decline in our rail system.
Save Our Trains spokesperson, Dr Paul Callister, says “Inter regional passenger rail services have been run into the ground through decades of deliberate decline and bias towards road and air transport. This inquiry offers an eleventh-hour chance to reverse the decline of our rail network and replace our rusting rolling stock.” Dr Callister says ongoing issues with the ageing and increasingly unreliable Wellington to Palmerston North Capital Connection and near termination of the Auckland to Wellington Northern Explorer passenger service are recent “real life examples” of our failure to develop a rail network to meet the needs of New Zealand’s future. The Budget in May 2022 omitted funding for a fleet of hybrid electric trains in the lower North Island, proposed by regional councils. KiwiRail suspended long-distance passenger services in 2021, later reversing that decision in 2022 following a public campaign to save our trains. Reinstated services were accompanied by significant fare increases. It is no longer a service New Zealand families can afford. Save Our Trains spokesperson, Suraya Sidhu Singh, said “most New Zealanders live in regions that are poorly served by public transport, yet with investment our existing rail network could connect millions of people. There is an opportunity to invest in rail to connect our regional communities and impact climate change goals.” Suraya Sidhu Singh says this inquiry offers an opportunity for various agencies to better align transport, climate, and economic development policies and have real impact for future generations of passengers. The Save Our Trains campaign was started in late January by concerned members of the public focused on maintaining and developing passenger rail services. Media Contacts: Victor Billot victor@allrailways.co.nz 022 479 1786 In this piece for Greater Auckland, Paul Callister highlights the dire state of regional public transport in New Zealand and offers a pathway for change. While what happens in our largest cities is obviously important, solutions for decarbonisation, safety and the provision of affordable options for all members of society to stay connected are vital for all of New Zealand’s communities, whether large or small. New Zealand’s small, and not so small, communities have been left behind. Read the full article at: Regional Public Transport - Greater Auckland
New Zealand is at a junction when it comes to inter-regional public transport and passenger rail. Will it continue its recent path of almost entirely focusing investment on urban passenger rail in the Auckland and Wellington regions? Or is there room to expand planning to include passenger rail reconnecting regions to the main urban areas and extending into New Zealand’s Heartland as a national network? This comes down to the question as to what sort of country we want New Zealand to be? At stake are questions of social equity, national connectivity, transport accessibility, meeting climate change commitments, improved transport safety, regional rejuvenation, affordable housing access, and even national pride as one joined up nation. Read this excellent piece by Michael Van Drogenbroek published in the March Issue of Logistics & Transport New Zealand.
Save Our Trains Campaign media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 16 February 2022 Save The Trains Campaign welcomes KiwiRail’s decision to include a daily Auckland-Wellington service in an upcoming market research survey. But campaigners say New Zealand is still a long way off seeing long distance passenger trains return to the tracks. The Save Our Trains campaign was started in late January by concerned members of the public after KiwiRail’s announcement in December 2021 it was pulling same day scheduled passenger services throughout New Zealand. KiwiRail today sent an email to subscribers raising the possibility of a daily Auckland-Wellington passenger train in addition to multi-day tours and guided tours and packages. KiwiRail plans to send a short questionnaire to everyone who has signed up on their website. Save The Trains Spokesperson Paul Callister says: “Let’s be clear, KiwiRail is merely adding a question to a survey, not promising to return passenger trains to our tracks.” Mr Callister says this is still a sign KiwiRail is reacting to public blowback against their decision, with 5200 people signing the Save Our Trains petition. He says KiwiRail does not currently have enough trains available to offer all the services mentioned in their bulletin. Mr Callister says it now comes down to a battle between tourist-specific services or broader passenger focused services. “We’ll continue to campaign for the return of national passenger rail services for all users”, says Mr Callister. He says the campaign’s other demands are that future passenger rail services are built around concerns for accessibility, regional economic development, and climate action. The Coastal Pacific service in the South Island was not mentioned in the statement by KiwiRail. The petition to Save Our National Passenger Rail Network reads: We call on the Government and KiwiRail to commit to maintaining existing intercity passenger rail services. Furthermore, we ask for a comprehensive national strategy for future passenger rail services built around concern for climate action and economic development. The petition to Save Our National Passenger Rail Network can be found at: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/p/saveourtrains Media Contacts: Victor Billot victor@allrailways.co.nz 022 479 1786 Patrick Rooney patrick@allrailways.co.nz 06 880 0234 or 022 154 9119 Convenience, comfort, cost and carbon: what’s the best way to travel, save money and cut emissions?11/2/2022
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