Toll continues to grow rail in the Waikato

14 September 2006

Toll continues to grow rail in the Waikato

For the first time in 16 years the rail link into the Tirau Fonterra dairy factory in the Waikato is back in use. A move that has been welcomed by Toll Rail.

The last time rail operated from this site was back in the late 1980”s when the then rail operator, NZ Rail lost this business to road.

However following on from Toll Zealand's successful partnership with dairy giant Fonterra this has encouraged the use of rail as part of their plan to centralise their warehousing operations at the Crawford Street container/warehouse hub in Hamilton.

This is the second line to re open in the Waikato thanks to the Crawford Street hub. Last year the Waitoa Line into the Waitoa Fonterra diary factory also reopened after being out of commission for 14 years.

Fonterra now link their freight operations at Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Waitoa, Hautapu, Waharoa, Lichfield and Tirau manufacturing sites by rail to the new Crawford Street site village.

This is all good news for road users as its estimated the move to rail will take close to 45,000 truck movements away.

Fonterra last year signed a 20 year agreement with Toll noting that increasing traffic congestion on roads to the ports of Auckland and Tauranga made rail a competitive, sustainable, long-term transport option.

ENDS

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