It’s that little bit more special when you’re winding your way through the stunning sea and landscapes of the Otago coast.
Here in Ōtepoti, we are lucky enough to have our magnificent, historic railway station right there, in the centre of the city.
Unfortunately, a journey by train just isn’t a reality for many New Zealanders. Mostly we must rely on cars to get from city to city, town to town and place to place.
This leads, as we well know, to congested roads and rising levels of pollution—a price our planet can no longer afford to pay.
At a personal level, if you’re anything like me, that long drive by car to Christchurch (especially after Timaru) is a tedium I’d happily avoid.
But imagine a future in which train stations sit at the centre of all towns across the country, becoming bustling hubs of sustainable — and enjoyable — travel.
This is the vision behind He Ara Anamata, our emissions reduction plan, launched on Sunday.
Fewer cars on the road means lower emissions, better air quality and safer roads. Our plan includes restoring the passenger rail between Invercargill and Christchurch and progressively electrifying the rail network.
Under this plan, our Dunedin Railway Station will become more than just a landmark and tourist site in Dunedin; it will become a bustling, thriving transport hub again, catering to businesspeople, families and tourists alike.
While He Ara Anamata is just out of the blocks, we do know that there is a certain political appetite for restoring passenger rail.
It’s our pledge to work with political colleagues on both sides of the house to encourage support for passenger rail and translate any existing political appetite into action, come the next election.
While we’re prioritising reliable, safe, clean and accessible public transport options across the motu, our focus underpinning this plan is cutting emissions at the source, paving the way to a cleaner, greener future for all.
And you’ll be able to enjoy that glass of wine and good book on an enhanced and expanded passenger rail network to boot.
