Editorial: Fast-tracking of rail link could be good for Hawke's Bay

Andrew Austin, Editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

It is amazing what a change of government can do.

Before last year's election, a Hawke's Bay Regional Council-led initiative to open the Napier to Wairoa railway line looked like it would struggle to get off the ground in the short term.

KiwiRail, the Port of Napier and the council had entered into a commercial agreement in 2016 to reopen the mothballed section of line between Napier and Wairoa for the first time since it closed in 2012. But, the then National Party-led Government simply was not interested in investing in a project it called "uneconomical".

Enter the new Labour, NZ First, Greens coalition Government with its cheque book and the project has a new lease of life. The Government has pledged $5 million to reopen the Wairoa-Napier line for logging trains, as part of a total nationwide rail-based investment of $8.7m.

The money is coming out of the Government's new Provincial Growth Fund and the decision was announced by Regional Economic Development Minister and Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones in Gisborne on Friday.

The wall of wood is expected to reach peak harvest by 2032 and this decision will take 5714 trucks a year off the State Highway from Wairoa to Napier, which is a challenging road to drive even without the logging trucks.

The aim is for the first log train to run on the line by the end of the year and with that work has already begun clearing the tracks.

It is quite remarkable considering the line has been dormant for the past six months.
Like any initiative in this province, if it works and is economical then it can't be a bad thing.

However, it must not become a drain on tax and ratepayers.

Let's hope for the best.