Brendan Horan MP
Spokesperson for Transport
29 August 2012

Leaked Memo Shows Kiwirail Infrastrucre Rotten to the Core

New Zealand First has obtained a leaked KiwiRail document which paints a bleak picture of our national railway infrastructure which is rotting from the ground up.

Transport spokesperson Brendan Horan says Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has tried to gloss over serious maintenance issues affecting the safety of our rail network.

“This leaked document shows an inappropriate response to replacing thousands of Peruvian wooden sleepers which were imported with fungi that caused them to rot.

“Instead of replacing them with solid hardwood sleepers, KiwiRail has used the dodgy Peruvian variety so long as they are deemed ‘visually sound’. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

Mr Horan says the Minister should reveal the true extent of our railway’s infrastructure crisis which hasn’t been addressed in the Government’s KiwiRail Turnaround Plan.

“Our rail network is falling apart and creating all manner of dangers. Mr Brownlee must acknowledge that and agree to scrap this ridiculous and ineffective Turnaround Plan.

“The Government today announced an increase in taxes to pay for its $12 billion road upgrade programme while it sits by watching our rail network fall apart. It is shameful,” says Mr Horan.

ENDS

Attached: Leaked KiwiRail document
Replacement_of_rotten_sleepers_Policy.pdf

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