JOYCE FULL OF ‘HOT AIR’ ON NORTHLAND RAIL

The government is lying about KiwiRail cutbacks to Northland services, says New Zealand First.

“In October last year, the Minister of Transport said there were ‘no plans to change’ the return service from Auckland to Whangarei, yet the number of trains on the line each week has just been halved,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“In Parliament yesterday, the government said that the reduction was a KiwiRail decision and the same amount of freight would still be carried on the line.

“How does the government explain the fact that five wagons were left behind in Whangareion Tuesday night because the train could not haul the weight.

“It is clear that there is now not enough capacity, and freight will be held up, further destroying KiwiRail’s business reputation as a freight forwarder.

“The fact that five wagons had to be left behind deflates Steven Joyce’s claim in Parliament yesterday, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Transport, that our vision would have trains ‘carrying around fresh air in Northland’.

Question to Minister of Transport from Rt Hon Winston Peters

ENDS

© Scoop Media