Tuakau & Districts Development Association

Towns Take Train Stations

Tuakau residents feed up with not having a rail option for safe public transport, when the railway line goes through the town, will be staging a sit-in on the town’s railway station platform this Saturday morning.

A large turnout is envisaged as the local Rotary will be hosting a BBQ, the community constable and volunteer fire brigade will be in attendance as well a large number of families and students from local schools. “Tuakau College students have even written and recorded a song last week demanding the station be re-opened, that sums up the depth and feeling of the residents and businesses for the trains” said Dee Bond from the Rail Committee of the Tuakau & Districts Development Association(TDDA).

The TDDA decided the sit-in would be good to hold as for too long local councils have not delivered what the community wants. “We want commuter trains to Auckland and Hamilton. We have a railway, we have the old station platform, we have plenty of passengers, now we want the trains.”

The TDDA has joined up with the Campaign For Better Transport and are calling for the Hamilton to Auckland commuter trains to be re-instated. “Environment Waikato undertook a study of the trains last year which showed they had excellent benefit to cost ratios. They didn’t even include our town in that study. Recently we surveyed our community who have given us 99% pro-rail feedback and we currently have in excess of 2,500 signatures on a petition in support of a rail service to Tuakau from our community of 4,500 population.” Bond said.

Other towns to stage sit-in:

The communities of Te Kauwhata and Huntly will also hold sit-ins at the same time this Saturday, as they too want commuter trains to Auckland and Hamilton. “The community of Te Kauwhata have no public transport and are forced to drive to get anywhere. They have the same railway line, their own old station platform and plenty of willing passengers. It’s great to see all the Northern Waikato communities pulling together to get commuter train services. It’s time the Councils and the Government get our stations open and the trains rolling. We know KiwiRail have some railcars sitting idle in railway yards, some only used once a month!” Bond said.

We would like anyone keen to see our station re-opened and commuter trains rolling in the Waikato to come to Taukau this Saturday morning at 11am for the half hour sit in. Alternatively, you can head to Huntly or Te Kauwhata railway station platforms as well.

Mass Station Sit Ins
This Saturday (11th Sept) at 11am until 11:30am.
Where:
Tuakau station. Meet near rail level crossing in town centre.
Te Kauwhata station platform, bottom end of main township
Huntly station platform. Access off Glasgow St or over footbridge from Main Street.
Ends