Unionist pans rail fares, electrification

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 2

Unionist pans rail fares, electrification

Greymouth reporter The Railways Corporation’s move to increase long-distance passenger train fares 20 per cent would drive people away from using the services, says a national councillor of the National Union of Railwaymen, Mr Jack MacDonald, of Greymouth. The loss of patronage would inevitably lead to job losses, he said. Mr MacDonald was also critical of the decision to proceed with the electrification of the North Island main trunk line against the advice of American consultants.

He said that an investigation into New Zealand Railways three years ago by the consultants, Booz Allen and Hamilton, had stated that “there is not, nor ever will be in the foreseeable future, sufficient tonnage to warrant the vast expenditure on the electrification of the North Island main trunk.” The then National Government decided to go ahead with electrification against the wishes of Railwavs Corporation advisers. ,r As a result, the Railways Corporation has been forced

to continue with this foolishness, and has to borrow vast millions of dollars both overseas and internally,” said Mr MacDonald. Mr MacDonald said that to pay back the loan, plus interest, the corporation was forced to dip into revenue. This had left other sections of the Railways’ operation “in a very run down condition.” “After all, there is insufficient to spread over the rail system as a whole when such vast amounts are being spent on this white elephant, the electrification of the North Island main trunk. "I am sure that without this waste, the Railways would have had sufficient moneys to have been able to do something about its passenger rolling stock.

“Passenger travel in this and most other countries has been proven to be the safest, most comfortable means of internal transport,” he said.

Mr MacDonald said the road toll and the cost of road maintenance would increase if passenger trains were cancelled.