Restore Passenger Rail supporters are again, for the third time this week, disrupting morning rush hour traffic in Wellington - Lower Hutt, beside Melling Train Station at 8:30 AM. Five supporters are sitting on the motorway face to face with traffic, calling for the government to immediately restore passenger rail throughout the country to relieve the cost of living and climate crises.

“Restoring passenger rail to year 2000 coverage would connect up 3.5 million kiwis in an accessible, affordable, and climate friendly way."

"We can deal with the climate and cost of living crises, but only if we set the pace by moving quickly on easy low hanging fruit like restoring passenger rail.”

"We need to start acting with real urgency, by listening to figures like UN Secretary General António Guterres, who says delay means death." Says Restore Passenger Rail spokesperson James Cockle.

Restore Passenger Rail began disruptive actions in Wellington this week, demanding that the Government restore an inter-regional network of passenger trains to what it was in the year 2000. On Monday, supporters climbed a gantry across Wellington’s motorway to hang a large ‘Restore Passenger Rail’ banner. On Tuesday three supporters boarded a freight train carriage at the port to point out that our trains can be used for carrying people rather than coal or milk powder. On Wednesday five supporters sat in front of motorway traffic to highlight the importance of this issue.

The Restore Passenger Rail campaign was officially launched on Tuesday 27 September when campaigners delivered the ultimatum to a number of MPs outside the Parliamentary Library.

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