Northern Advocate

20110503

Pressure Builds for Investment in Rail

Saturday 23rd of April 2011

by Joseph Aldridge Page A2

Whangarei Council boss says the council should support the mothballing of the rail line if KiwiRail decides to pull the plug on Northland's rail service.

Whangarei CEO Mark Simpson will make his recommendation at Wednesday's full council meeting.

His report in the meeting agenda says the council should support mothballing the line in order to provide breathing space-

for economic factors, that may save the line, to emerge.

Mothballing would involve maintaining the line but ceasing the services for a suggested period of 5 years.

The maintenance of the line would mean that not all jobs would be lost by mothballing, the report says.

It goes on to say that development of the Marsden Point rail link is the only hope for Northland Rail services.

Furthermore it says the most likely possibility of developing the Marsden Point rail link lies in convincing the Ports of Tauranga and Auckland to stop competing with Northport and start co-operating.

A rationalisation of activities would see Auckland down-sizing its port and handing over part of its business to Northport, Mr Simpson says.

Only port rationalisation will see Regional and National resources most economically invested in our ports but given the ownership mix of the three ports - one wholly local government owned, the other two listed companies - this will take high level political debate to achieve

For more see the discussion on the Auckland Trains forum here

See Vivienne Shepherds response here

To view details about the meeting mentioned above click here