Time never better for passenger rail service

The Southerner train could again provide rail travel in the South, writes Victor Billot.

The Southerner departs the Dunedin Railway Station in 2001. PHOTO: ODT FILES

Many people in Otago will recall travelling by train between cities and towns when they were younger, and New Zealanders who have travelled overseas are often surprised by the quality and convenience of passenger rail in other countries. As the climate crisis worsens, the need for cost-effective, low-emission transport options becomes pressing. Rail is going through an international renaissance.

Apart from in New Zealand, unfortunately.

Late last year, state-owned enterprise KiwiRail announced the permanent end of same-day intercity services between Auckland and Wellington, and Picton and Christchurch. There is a vague plan to introduce a multi-day rail cruise instead, aimed at well-off tourists.

This effectively means the end of most of New Zealand's national passenger rail network after more than 100 years of service. In Dunedin, we lost the Southerner two decades ago, and in the intervening years, the national passenger rail network has relentlessly decayed due to poor management and policy decisions.

Despite the profusion of reports and commissions urging the need to lower emissions, the Government appears locked into a model where roads and air travel are still prioritised for expenditure and investment, as far as passenger travel goes.

We are facing the rebuild and restoration of much that has been damaged or run down. But with modest investment and political will, it can be done.

If rail is fast, convenient and comfortable, people will use it. We need to get people out of cars and off planes, and give those in regional towns and cities an affordable option to travel on a modern passenger rail service.

More recently, rising fuel costs and the spectre of war have been focusing our attention on the need to build a resilient transport system. Rail is ideally suited to reduce our dependence on overseas energy and insecure fuel supply chains. It will give options to those seeking affordable travel options.

The Government has so far passed the parcel on dealing with the issue of intercity passenger rail, and has described the matter as an "operational" one for KiwiRail. This has now led to the removal of the last regular intercity passenger service in New Zealand, which you could say is the opposite of operational.

This is a nonsense. Passenger rail should be a policy issue. The Government has taken much needed (and sensible) steps to start modernising our rail network and building our rail capacity with the Hillside Workshops. Intercity passenger rail could easily be incorporated into this positive and proactive programme. But leadership is required and it needs to be coming from the top.

Earlier this year, the Save Our Trains campaign was formed. We are calling on the Government and KiwiRail to commit to maintaining existing intercity passenger rail services. Our campaign has groups springing up in communities around New Zealand and has received national coverage. Our petition has had more than 7000 signatures and is growing.

We want to see a comprehensive national strategy for future passenger rail services built around concerns for climate action, accessibility and economic development.

Trains connect communities, and are an important part of climate change action. Trains have connected friends and families for graduations, weddings, holidays and business for generations. They have connected towns with the cities, and brought our country together. But the period of privatisation and decades of underfunding has limited the development and use of our national rail network. This needs to change. Many overseas countries with similar populations have impressive passenger rail networks and there is no reason why over time we cannot achieve similar goals.

The immediate goal of Save Our Trains is to stop the rot, and halt the disappearance of our last intercity passenger services.

But we are ambitious for passenger rail and want to see regular services in both islands. Tourism rail is an important part of the mix. In Otago, we are well aware of the value of Dunedin Railways offering its unique rail experiences. But we need affordable intercity rail transport for general travellers at the national level.

The Southerner could once again ride the rails — and provide a low-emission, convenient and enjoyable transport option for travellers in the South.

 -  Victor Billot is involved in the Save Our Trains campaign aimed at maintaining existing intercity passenger rail services.