Ferry Decision: Common Sense Prevails

Rail advocacy group, The Future Is Rail, welcomes the announcement from Rt Hon Winston Peters that new Cook Strait ferries will be rail-enabled.

“Rail-enabled ferries were always a no-brainer”, says Dr Roger Blakeley, Chair of The Future Is Rail. “Whether you are looking through an economic, social, environmental lens, rail ferries just make sense.”

“This commitment to rail will give communities and businesses some certainty about future transport links. It also removes uncertainty around rail and enables KiwiRail to better promote rail freight options”, says Dr Blakeley. “We hope they will seize the opportunity that’s been provided to them.”

The loss of rail enabled ferries would have severed the national rail network and negatively affected communities across New Zealand, especially regional centres in both islands.

The Future Is Rail organised public meetings in Picton, Blenheim and Wellington, and coordinated a petition that gained nearly 9000 signatures.

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