The Campaign For Better Transport

Candidates On Track For Trains

Sustainable transport group the Campaign For Better Transport (CBT) has organised one of the largest public meetings in the Hamilton local body elections with the aim of getting Hamilton to Auckland commuter trains on track.

Over the past three weeks members of the CBT have telephoned or met with nearly every candidate standing in Hamilton for the City Council or for Environment Waikato. Their stance on commuter rail has been noted and all the candidates who have either signed the Vote Trains manifesto or shown they are completely supportive of commuter trains for the region are being invited to address the public this Wednesday night.

"It's really great news for the people of Hamilton to have broad support across the local political spectrum for commuter train services to Auckland. We are inviting the candidates to the meeting so they can tell the voters why they want the train services to go ahead" Jon Reeves, Campaign Manager for VoteTrains.Org.Nz

"The CBT remains politically independent. However, our VoteTrains.Org.Nz website clearly lets the public know which candidates in Hamilton and North Waikato have signed our manifesto aimed at getting the trains running within 18 months. The Vote Trains website has proved extremely popular and we guess it's a sign that the public do want to know if their favourite candidates are serious about better transport services for their city. It could be a case of the public noting who hasn't signed up for getting the trains rolling" Reeves said.

11,500 mainly Hamilton and Waikato residents signed a CBT petition to Government earlier this year supporting train services. Despite the huge support from Hamilton residents Hamilton East MP David Bennett declined the petition to go to the Select Committee he chairs and has remained opposed to commuter trains starting in any specific year in the future.

Public Meeting Details: Wednesday 8th September , 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Reception Lounge, Hamilton City Council, Garden Place.

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