Push to speed up Marsden Pt link

A train service to the Marsden Pt port would cut road congestion in Northland and provide more than 200 jobs during the line's construction.

The Northland Regional Council wants to designate land for a 16km-long rail link to Marsden Pt.

Plans for the link between the existing line near Oakleigh, south of Whangarei, and Marsden Pt and its deepwater port have languished for some years, with the estimated cost rising from $88 million in 2003 to more than $100 million now.

Regional council chairman Mark Farnsworth says Marsden Pt is the best deepwater port in New Zealand and the region could not afford to wait any longer for a rail link to be built to it.

The council intends to draw up a proposal for the project.

A council delegation is to go to Wellington to try to get a Government commitment to advance the land designation process and funding for the link.

The delegation will also meet representatives of Ontrack, the rail track owner and operator, before holding discussions with the Far North and Kaipara district councils about regional backing for the line.

A feasibility study three years ago showed a rail link to Marsden Pt would help reduce the number of logging trucks and congestion on Northland roads, and create more than 200 fulltime jobs during the link's construction.

Mr Farnsworth says that with land prices continuing to increase, further delays in starting the project would add even more to costs.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)