7 Jul 2023

Four new North Island passenger rail routes recommended

From Morning Report, 6:20 am on 7 July 2023

A parliamentary inquiry into regional passenger rail has put four North Island routes on the table.

The inquiry, which received 1752 submissions, looked at the viability of getting passenger trains to under-served communities. It also evaluated existing inter-regional routes.

The main recommendation is for the government to scope out four rail services: Auckland to Wellington, Auckland to Tauranga, Napier to Wellington, plus an extension of the Capital Connection from Palmerston North to Feilding.

Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee chairperson, Labour MP Shanan Halbert, spoke to Kim Hill.