Just two days after the first policy announcement by a major political party supporting electrification and double tracking of the rail network to Ōtaki, the Kāpiti-Horowhenua Commuter Rail Campaign (KHCRC) has recorded another win with the National Party also committing $300 million that will help fund new trains to replace and expand Capital Connection services between Palmerston North and Wellington.

“With first the backing of electrification and double tracking to Ōtaki, and now support for hybrid trains to replace and provide additional Capital Connection services, the Kāpiti-Horowhenua Commuter Rail Campaign has notched up two big wins this week,” says KHCRC Founder Gwynn Compton.

“When I launched my commuter rail campaign back in March, a key part of its vision was new hybrid trains to secure the future of the Capital Connection while also providing additional services each day. An added benefit of this approach is that, as the main metropolitan network expands north, these hybrid trains can be progressively re-deployed to connect more communities into the lower North Island’s passenger train network.”

While Greater Wellington Regional Council is currently investigating what types of trains could be used for replacing the Capital Connection with $5 million in funding from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, and the Government has provided $211 million for track upgrades that would support new trains between Palmerston North and Wellington, as yet neither major party had committed to funding these, which is what Mr Compton says makes the National Party’s announcement significant.

“The announcement by the National Party to provide $300 million in funding for new and additional trains for both the Capital Connection services and Wairarapa line is big news for Kāpiti and Horowhenua. With our districts growing rapidly and increasing numbers of commuters choosing to call our communities home, I now want to see the Labour Party get onboard too so we have cross-party consensus on providing all of Kāpiti and Horowhenua with access to fast, frequent, and climate friendly commuter rail.”

© Scoop Media