Opponents and advocates of Hamilton’s Te Huia rail service have entered the debate on whether the service should continue past its original trial date of June next year.
Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good has fired shots at the cost of the service, and at the Waikato Regional Council’s ‘rates control team’, a group of elected members who campaigned on lowering rates during October’s election.
Looking to keep Te Huia on track is national rail advocacy group The Future is Rail.
They say a range of hurdles have been placed along the train’s track in recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic and multiple track closures. By allowing the trial to continue for its intended five-year period, officials making decisions on its future would have a clearer picture of its benefits.
