M.P.s want rail link restored

Press, 15 April 1988, Page 6

M.P.s want rail link restored

PA j | Wellington Parliamentarians lined up in a deputation to one of their own colleagues yesterday. The Minister for StateOwned Enterprises, Mr Prebble, faced a threeperson delegation of East Coast members of Parliament lobbying him over the future of the East Coast’s railway line. I Led by Mr Alan Wallbank, the member for Gisborne, with Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, Southern Maori, and Mr Bill Sutton, Hawke's Bay and also representing the electorates of East Cape, Napier, Hastings, I and Eastern Maori, they sought restoration of the rail link. 7 | The line was severely damaged by Cyclone Bola, and the railway bridge at Wairoa was destroyed. The members told the Minister they had the. support of all ; local authori-

ties in their electorates, i “While few appreciate the work that already has been done to clear sections of the linej we are asking that all I possible speed should be encouraged to bring about a full restoration of railway services,” they said. “Delays in repairing the railway line will cause an increase in heavy freight trucks on the road joining . Gisborne to Hawke’s Bay and beyond. This will, result in reading problems that will involve | long-term costs that could easily justify Government expen- ■ diture to restore the line." After the meeting, the:* members said Mr Prebble had a good understanding of the problem and of the importance to ' the East Coast of the railway link. Mr Prebble said he was sympathetic to the representations and I Railways had the matter under consideration as a matter of urgency.