Freight and Rail
Click here to return to the policy homepage.
- Remove infrastructure decision-making powers from ministers and vest them in an independent New Zealand Infrastructure Corporation.
- Cooperate with private infrastructure funders to significantly increase the capacity of New Zealand's road and rail networks.
- Decide where to build new road and rail lines not based on votes at stake, but on congestion levels and safety considerations.
- Be judged based on transparent performance indicators, like the average speed reached on major arterial routes.
- Read more here.
- Invest in a coordinated freight strategy that includes developing coastal shipping for domestic freight.
- Develop 'land port' facilities to minimise heavy truck movements in urban areas and facilitate road to rail transfer of all kinds of freight, and expand investment in facilities to enable easy transfer of goods from rail to local delivery services.
- Increase commuter and long-distance rail passenger services and ensure trains are accessible to all users.
- Support complete electrification of the North Island Main Trunk Line, and investigate electrifying the rest of the rail system over time, including the South Island.
- Make rail and road access costs fair and equitable.
- Read more here and here.
- Building $6.8 billion dollars’ worth of transport projects across the country as part of the NZ Upgrade Programme. This includes major roads, road safety improvements, and rail. It’s expected to create 800-1000 new jobs in our civil construction industry as the first five projects get underway in the next 12 months, and 7,000 to 9,000 direct opportunities for our wider supply chain.
- Read more here.
- Build a rail link to Auckland Airport from Puhinui and Onehunga.
- National will build a third and fourth main line expanding the Auckland Rail Network.
- Additional rail projects:
- Read more here.
- Continue to support regional rail initiatives and complete geotech research on re-opening the Wairoa to Gisborne rail line
- Secure funding to build a rail spur from Puhinui station to Auckland airport
- Build and complete the Marsden spur linking Northport to the Northland rail-line
- Full rebuild and improvements to the Christchurch-Picton rail corridor
- Read more here.
 |
  |
 |
1 Comments
Rail could be better utilised. NZ narrow gauge can hardly be described as heavy rail. Where I came from light rail trams ran over existing heavy 4'8" lines before linking to roads. The stupid arguments need to be gotten over. Why truck all airport users to aux central if they want to go south? Clearly a link airport to Puhinui and making that a transport hub makes a lot of sense. A ring to Aux central would be desirable but not an urgent item. I understand the tunnel from waharoa to Tauranga is unsuitable for passenger rail perhaps someone should research what is feasible.
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.