The Campaign For Better Transport

The CBT strongly supports the reintroduction of a commuter rail service between Hamilton to Auckland. CBT members have recently made a number of submissions on the Waikato Regional Rail Discussion Document, which has been put together by Environment Waikato (EW).

Of key note in the document is the potential for a Hamilton – Auckland commuter rail service. An EW study in 2006 found that the service would be feasible, though two years later nothing has progressed on the implementation of this useful service.

Successful longer distance commuter rail services already exist in New Zealand between Wellington and Masterton, and Wellington and Palmerston North. These cities are a fraction of the size of Hamilton.

In 2001 the Hamilton to Auckland commuter service was stopped by Tranzrail due to low patronage, however that service only ran once a day and did not pass through Hamilton’s central underground station (which was built in the 1960s and has not been used since the late 1990s) nor did it come into Britomart station, which had not yet been built.

Since Britomart opened in 2003, rail has experienced a renaissance in Auckland, and we believe now is the right time to reintroduce a service that has the potential to be extremely popular with commuters and tourists alike.  Newmarket’s new station will also prove to be a popular destination.

This campaign is looking very positive – we now have the support of the Hamilton City Council and key decision makers in the Waikato!

Find out more at www.votetrains.org.nz

Latest News

• Waikato Trains Now! Public Meeting 22nd August - August 14, 2011
• Silver Fern Test Run for Hamilton To Auckland Rail Service - August 10, 2011
• VoteTrains.org.nz Goes Live - August 13, 2010
• A Letter to Environment Waikato - June 1, 2010
• Waikato RWC rail link - May 31, 2010