No decision on Matarawa without full discussion with residents, says council boss

Matarawa residents are guaranteed a voice about the proposed closure of their railway station, said Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Ian Buchanan.
"The imminent arrival of the new commuter trains for the Wairarapa means urgent work is required to get all platforms upgraded to provide safe access to the new carriages," Mr Buchanan said.
He said the council is reassuring Matarawa residents that no decision had been madder regarding the Matarawa Station and that residents "would be fully consulted ahead of any being taken".
Regional councillors "will meet residents around the middle of March" to discuss all options under consideration, he said.
"Our railways are vitally important to Wellington's community life and its economic prosperity.
"We do not enter into discussions lightly about the future of any station, particularly one which has existed for more than a century. That's why I am determined to allow everyone who has an interest in this issue to have input into the decision and for residents and passengers who use the station to be presented with all the facts."
Mr Buchanan said public notices would be posted confirming the time and details of the upcoming meeting with residents.
Rail authority Toll last year won the regional council contract to rebuild several sets of former British Rail Mark 2 carriages earlier bought by Toll predecessor, Tranz Rail as replacement rolling stock.
The carriages will be introduced over the next two years and promise to provide greater comfort, safety and reliability on the Wairarapa service. The Times-Age last week outlined a report written by Richard Noakes, regional council transport infrastructure team leader, that was tabled at a passenger transport committee meeting earlier this month. The report suggested service withdrawal from the station and recommended it be closed, but to keep the station open would mean construction of a platform that enabled the boarding of the new carriages.
In the report, Mr Noakes said the station is rural with an old weatherboard shelter that is "old but adequate", poor lighting and no platform, standing pads, paths, or parking other than a grassy roadside berm.
The removal of a concrete loading bank, and the construction of a new shelter with seats, bins, storage, drainage and signs, and the establishment of a 15-space car park with lighting and signs would cost from $120,000 for "a basic platform" and more than $170,000 for full station facilities, he said.
Last week about 130 people gathered under the residents' Save Our Station (SOS) banner to protest the proposed closure of the small former timber-loading station. SOS spokesman Rob Paris last week questioned the accuracy of a rail-user survey that accompanied the report, saying the station "is tiny but serves a huge community service" for an ever-growing commuter population .