A steam train puffs its way into Taumarunui as part of historical celebrations 10 years ago. Photo / File
A steam train puffs its way into Taumarunui as part of historical celebrations 10 years ago. Photo / File
Despite Peter Cape's famous ballad about the town where you could "hop off to refreshments for a cupper tea and pie", passenger trains ceased to stop in Taumarunui seven years ago.
Recently elected Horizons Regional Council Ruapehu representative Weston Kirton promised voters in Taumarunui that he would fight for theirrights to public transport and lobby to have the service reinstated.
He has started making good on his pledge by writing to KiwiRail and Government ministers to have the train stop in the town famous for being on the main trunk line.
Low passenger numbers were cited as the reason but Kirton and his constituents believe a daily five-minute stop in Taumarunui would mean the world to the town.
"It would boost jobs, tourism, economic and social health," Kirton said.
He has written to Deputy Prime Minister and State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters, Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones.
"This government encourages the use of public transport including rail but people in Taumarunui don't have any public transport options and they don't even have a taxi service."
Kirton said he has offered to arrange a public meeting and invited the ministers to attend.
"I'm organising a petition as well because there are a lot of people affected."
Taumarunui Age Concern services co-ordinator Chanelle Manion said she was pleased to see Kirton taking on the transport issue.
"I agree it is time we rallied to get it [the train] to stop again in our town.
"We have an ageing population and the opportunity to get out of town to visit friends and family is important in everyone's lives to maintain social connections."
Manion believes it should be possible for train drivers to stop and pick up passengers in Taumarunui if they are given adequate notice.
"I believed that KiwiRail would stop for a minimum of 10 passengers so I recently tried to organise a trip to Auckland.
"We had 10 people sign up but they wanted plus that number."
She said Age Concern deals with a number of people who have recently moved to the town for a retirement lifestyle.
"Some of them were really disappointed to discover that the train doesn't stop here."
Ahleen Rayner, executive general manager of tourism and marketing for KiwiRail, said Taumarunui and 11 other stations were dropped from the schedule when the service was revamped as the Northern Explorer.
Horizons Regional Councillor Weston Kirton is urging KiwiRail and the Government to put Taumaranui back on the schedule.
Photo /John Chapman
"The Northern Explorer service is not intended as a regional passenger service but rather as a tourism experience provided as part of our wider Great Journeys of New Zealand offerings.
"The train will stop in Taumarunui by arrangement if there are bookings for 10 or more people. However, our experience is that this occurs rarely."
Rayner said Increasing the number of stops for the service would stretch out the already considerable travel time between Auckland and Wellington and would impact heavily on customer satisfaction.
"The stops are determined by customer demand.
"There are limits on how many stops we can include in the service and we have to focus on what our customers want."
Kirton said he is not surprised at the KiwiRail response.
"I've heard similar from them before.
"They make money from freight and tourism and they don't have a social responsibility.
Taumarunui locals want to be able to catch the train again. Photo / File
"The Government, however, do have a social responsibility and I will continue to remind them of that."
He said he will continue to pursue the matter with the relevant ministers and will not be "fobbed off".
"The only alternative to rail travel for Taumarunui residents is a bus which stops in the town each day."
Kirton said it is a good service but, as it travels between Wellington and Auckland, it is often full.
