Christchurch Mayor watching talks about future of rail network

9 May 2003

Garry Moore, the Christchurch Mayor, is carefully watching talks between the Government and Tranz Rail and shares West Coast concern about the future of the southern rail network.

“ The tourist rail links between Christchurch and the Coast and from here to Picton via Kaikoura are hugely important to the city as a destination,” Mr Moore says. “The Coast line also carries coal, a major export from our port at Lyttelton.

“ I share Grey Mayor Kevin Brown’s concern about the future of these transport links and I’m watching discussions between Tranz Rail and the Government with great interest. ”

Mr Moore expects to hear from the company if any changes are proposed to the network in the upper South Island.

Tranz Rail today assured him that no line closures were on the table at the moment, and that, if they were in future, no lines would be closed without discussions with the Government and any local interests which might be involved.

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