A petition calling for the Government to fix the damaged Gisborne to Napier rail link has been handed over at Parliament.
Gisborne mayor Meng Foon and petition organisers presented more than 10,000 signatures asking for the line to remain open.
Senior government minister Anne Tolley and several other MPs were at Parliament's steps to receive the petition on Wednesday.
Ms Tolley told the mayor it is important for the region to have secure transport links and acknowledged the area's contribution to New Zealand's economic well-being.
KiwiRail has yet to decide whether it will repair sections of the line damaged during a storm in March this year.
It is expected to take five months to fix at a cost of up to $4.3 million.
KiwiRail says it will be several more weeks before it will announce its decision.
