Government Announces Rail Enabled Cook Strait Ferries

TRAC believes that this is a day for celebration for all freight shippers across the Cook Strait with the government’s announcement to buy two new RAIL ENABLED ferries for the Cook Strait.

TRAC National Coordinator Niall Robertson says, “Finally, the government has come up with a sensible and pragmatic solution to this very vexed problem!” Robertson adds that the road transport lobby need to take notice that rail is also considered to be an essential part of the transport connections between the islands.

Robertson says, “This is one area where Minister Winston Peters shines, because he understands rail and due to his experience he can navigate his way through the fog of politics and make good things happen”.

TRAC Chairman Guy Wellwood says, “These new ferries will be longer and wider and will have more capacity than the current ferries, so should prove very useful for the next 30-40 years!” However, Wellwood adds, “Unfortunately we might have to go through a period of non-rail enabled ferries as it seems that the only current rail enabled ferry, the Aratere might be pulled from service to allow the Picton terminal upgrade”.

TRAC would urge all involved to try and leave this as long as possible in order to give rail customers the best service possible for as long as possible over the next 4.5 years.

Robertson says, “Despite this, it is still a win for logistics and continued modal choice across the Cook Strait”.

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