Cycle option not ruling out rail proposal

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NEWS that the Government will investigate the feasibility of creating a cycleway between Gisborne and Napier does not mean Hawke’s Bay Regional Council will stop negotiations to lease a section of the rail line between the two cities.

The Napier-Gisborne line was mothballed at the end of 2012 after a storm badly damaged it in the Beach Loop area. Since then the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council set aside $5.46 million to potentially part-fund the resurrection of a freight service between Napier and Wairoa on the line.

Although the rail corridor has been previously mentioned as a possible route for a cycleway, a spokesman for the regional council said yesterday that while the Matariki-Hawke’s Bay Regional Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan 2016 indicated the investigation of a Napier to Gisborne cycle trail as one of 44 individual projects, it was not a HBRC initiative.

“I understand that this is independent to considering the viability of the Napier to Wairoa/Gisborne rail corridor, and will not help or hinder those negotiations.

“An announcement is anticipated soon on negotiations with KiwiRail, though this could be one to two weeks away.”

Meanwhile, news that a city-to-city cycleway would be investigated continues to excite cyclists here. Motu Trails Charitable Trust chairwoman Kathy Sheldrake said with the Motu Trails hoping to extend to Gisborne in the near future, the mooted cycleway from Napier to Gisborne opened up the possibility that cyclists could ride all the way from Opotiki to Napier.

“We are pleased to hear that a decision has been made to progress the outcome of the railway line with the funding of a feasibility study.

“We support the continuation of the line for rail, but if the decision is made to discontinue the line we would welcome the opportunities which may arise from this decision.

“To extend the cycleway from Opotiki through Gisborne to Napier we believe would be a huge boost for the district’s tourism industry.

“To be able to fly into Napier, Gisborne or Whakatane and be able to cycle point-to-point and fly out of these cities would put the district up there with the likes of the Central Otago Rail Trail.

“The vistas in both areas are equally outstanding. However, with our country and coastline we believe we have an advantage.”