Positive Approach to Funding for Rail Link

The National Government is not ruling out funding to restore the Gisborne-Napier rail link, says New Zealand First.

“In Parliament today Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee quickly denied a suggestion in my question that the government was preventing funding of the rail link,” says Spokesman on Transport Denis O’Rourke.

“He was firm in his response and was backed up by the Speaker who pointed out that ‘the Minister responded by saying it (the government) was not preventing funding’.

“The people of Hawke’s Bay will be delighted to hear this. Clearly the Government has accepted its responsibility to get the line reopened so the region has another option to transport freight,” says Mr O’Rourke.

The government has previously rejected calls to contribute to a Hawke's Bay Regional Council proposal that would reopen the link.

“As I pointed out in Parliament today the road route cannot be expected to cope in the long term,” he says.

ENDS

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