Ontrack is signalling the Govt to honour its commitment to injecting $449m into the rail network over the next five years and is warning further investment will be needed over the coming two decades. Chairman, Cameron Moore, says the funding is essential to ensure the network remains viable and has defended the sums required saying […]

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Public transport lobby group Campaign for Better Transport is calling for all uncommitted motorway projects to be put on hold indefinitely if the price of oil reaches $US150 a barrel. It wants the funds diverted to increasing the capacity of transport modes which aren’t reliant on cheap oil. The group says a number of motorway […]

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With record high petrol prices you would have thought there would never be a better time for public transport planners to be gung-ho about pushing ahead with more ambitious public transport projects. However, the latest revelations regarding the introduction of a commuter rail service between Helensville and Auckland indicates once again the famous creed of […]

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Auckland’s commuter rail services may end up with electrified lines but no trains to operate on them as uncertainty looms as to how the trains will be financed. Doubts over new fuel-tax legislation are forcing Auckland Regional Council to face up to the possibility of not having the funds to buy the fleet of trains. […]

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The fallout over the deal to buy back Toll Holdings’ rail operations is continuing with the local transport industry upset the Commerce Commission has not investigated the deal, Local trucking industry leaders say the deal whereby Toll Holdings will get a six year rent holiday on major freight depots it uses for its trucking operations, […]

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In the days before privatisation and tendering almost all NZ’s transportation infrastructure was built by the Ministry of Works. The ubiquitous orange and white dump trucks and earthmoving equipment roamed the country. Although it was often the subject of much ridicule, under this old fashioned Govt Department most of the national highway network and rail […]

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The Govt’s Sea Change coastal shipping strategy will benefit all NZers in terms of helping reduce greenhouse gases, taking pressure off the country’s roads, and better linking the country’s regions. Associate Transport Minister Harry Duynhoven says sea along with rail, both have a key role in realising the NZ Transport Strategy’s vision of an affordable, […]

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The National Party claims the decision to build motorway tunnels through Waterview in Auckland has been politically influenced but Transit says the tunnel option is the most practical solution. National Transport Spokesman, Maurice Williamson, claims Transit’s decision-making as regards the project has been “terribly politicised” by the presence of Labour President, Mike Williams, on its […]

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It is hard to know where oil prices may go next week let alone in 10 or 20 years but one thing is for certain - any country with little of its own oil, whose Govt isn’t prepared to subsidise its retail price needs to look carefully at its logistics landscape. Over the past 20 […]

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Poor Govt policy is hindering the ability of the Otago Regional Land Transport Strategy to help integrate rail and road networks. The authors of the strategy’s annual report say the recent decision to transport logs by road from Mt Allan near Dunedin to Port Chalmers illustrates how changes in Govt policy and legislation are needed […]

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