Streamlined rail freight service

Press, 30 September 1986, Page 3

Streamlined rail freight service

Canterbury and Marlborough will have a new streamlined rail freight service from next month. On October 13 the Railways Corporation will place a new emphasis on personalised service in the region, with door-to-door pick-up and delivery. In line with national freight terminal rationalisation, Christchurch and Blenheim-Spring Creek will be the only terminals to handle all types and sizes of freight, whether for delivery to local customers or dispatch elsewhere.

“The current size of the freight network means there is a lot of doubling up of facilities, equipment and effort,” said the corporation’s Christchurch

area traffic manager, Mr Maurice Hope. “The new system will provide faster transit times to customers and involve less handling of freight.”

Contracted local road carrier services will function from the two main centres to pick up and deliver freight under the corporation’s Doorrail service.

"Using the Doorrail carriers for collection and delivery services is the most cost-efficient use of rail and road,” said Mr Hope. The Hornby, Rangiora, Waipara, Kaikoura, Kekerengu, Seddon and Picton terminals will be retained to serve customers who receive or dispatch freight in full waggon lots.

Passenger and parcel services will not be affected by these changes, and arrangements with specific customers will be maintained by retaining other terminals or stations as special-purpose terminals or private sidings. Mr Hope said less than 20 jobs would be affected throughout the 350 km of line involved.

“The plan is to improve customer-service quality as well as cut costs and improve productivity,” he said. “Many facilities are old and require constant maintenance or are otherwise not suited for improved freight-handling methods and heavier loads. Many can no longer handle an economic volume of freight to justify their survival.”