Look past glib phrases

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Proponents of the rail link to Napier seem to have a certain amount of “tunnel vision”.

The rail will not remove log trucks from our regional roads. The logs will still have to be loaded on trucks to be brought to a marshalling yard. The loading and unloading process will add extra handling to the end product and possibly price us out of the market.

The concept of passenger transport on this line is ridiculous — there simply would not be enough passengers to make the line economical.

Get real, if you live in Gisborne you must have access to road transport. With a fully-operational “subsidised” rail link south, road transport would still be essential for northern journeys.

Economically if you own a car, you use it. The meter continues to run — even if you leave it in the garage while you enjoy your occasional rail ride to Napier, and a bus if you want to go any further south. The rail from Napier is freight-only, as not enough people wish to use the service.

I write on this subject now because of the upcoming election. We are being subjected to the most enticing promises so that 120 piglets can get their snouts into our taxpayers’ trough for another three years.

As voters, the population should really look past the glib phrases and the flashing ivories. Handouts still need to be paid for, no matter where they are funded from. If not by this generation, by future generations.

Maybe we should find politicians who are not motivated by their own political doctrines, greed or power aspirations, but by a bit of common sense.

Spend the road user charges collected locally on local roads. If that is not enough, increase the charges — or use some of the money that is going to be used in the lolly scramble to subsidise the shortfall.

Phil Newdick