Letters: Rail is Tauranga's future transport

Rail could be the answer to Tauranga's traffic woes, a readers says. Photo / File

Railing up for Tauranga future transport

In Tauranga, predominant future growth areas are nominated as Tauriko West and Te Tumu for the greater city.

The inherent problems of transport planning, being roading, access and commuting are to be addressed with a $665million investment by the NZ Transport Agency mentioning SH29 was a key freight route connecting Waikato and Auckland regions.

From all indications, this mindset relies on bigger roads, motorways and multi-lanes to what I envisage is just a repeat of the disaster that Auckland endures.

Grandiose roading projects are problematic, expensive, yet only a short-term fix as commonly proven. (Conspicuously, there is no mention of an obvious rail solution)

Tauranga can do better, imagine stations from city central up the Kopererua valley to Tauriko with rail linking to a Cameron Road/ Pyes Pa rail circuit. All would be in reasonable distance to and passing dense residential areas. Also, freight could be railed to Judea and the Lakes Industrial areas.

Amazingly obvious is that Papamoa itself has an adjacent rail corridor generally running not more than 2 or 3km parallel to it. Sensible planning would see this utilised for the future.

The argument, yes it will cost (just as the overspending is happening on roads) but the savings and the amenity for the city will be long-term and sustainable. This will tie in with the Katikati to Paengaroa rail tracking mentioned in my October 9 letter.

The enormous saving to the country in imported oil costs, road dependency, clogged traffic and environmental benefits would outweigh any loss that rail may sustain in the start-up period. A transportation rethink is long overdue to a futuristic long-term solution.

It is all possible and for the public good, which should be put first, not the overriding bottom line of profit, greed and short-sightedness. "Let's just get unstuck from the mire."

Jos Nagels
Tauranga

Is it delaying tactic

With the announcement of the Northern Link shrinking to only two lanes, it is obvious that, in my view, this is a delaying tactic to stop this highway from being started on this government's term, as they would request completely new drawings to be made for their new proposal.

There was no time frame given as to when this road would be completed. With petrol prices rapidly approaching $3 a litre it is essential that the wasteful congestion on SH2, as well as the safety concerns, be addressed immediately.

If the government is serious about "fixing The Bloody Road", then they could start construction immediately on one side of the four-lane highway that has been planned for years. If this is not happening, then the protesters need to redouble the "Fix The Bloody Road" campaign as the previous protests were an embarrassment to those in Wellington.

Michael Galloway
Omokoroa