Meeting helps to clear air about rail line future

Supporters are more positive about the Napier-Gisborne rail line, Hawke's Bay Railway Action Group spokesman Richard Sceats says.
A public meeting at the Napier Cosmopolitan Club on Thursday left "a generally positive feeling" about the line's future.
Currently there were only two trains a week, with fertiliser for Ravensdown the main cargo.
Local and national politicians addressed the meeting but some local business leaders expressed frustration at the uncertainty of the line's future, Mr Sceats said.
KiwiRail reported that in the 2009-10 year there were 70 return freight journeys carrying 23,600 tonnes of freight, earning revenue of $587,000 - less than 0.5 per cent of total freight revenue.
It costs KiwiRail approximately $2.1 million a year to maintain the track infrastructure and a further $1 million a year to run one to two train services a week via its 21 tunnels and 85 bridges.
KiwiRail general manager of freight Ian Hill said KiwiRail was continuing to gather information on the line's viability and the views of stakeholders, for a report to be presented mid 2012.
Mr Sceats said the unity of purpose was heartening.
"The general consensus was that we must keep the line open."
A similar meeting was scheduled for Gisborne on June 16. The line was currently closed due to slips from the recent storm.