The Rail Advocacy Collective (TRAC) applauds the reinstatement of the Northern Explorer and the Coastal Pacific trains to their former routes. However, we still think of this as a very small step in the redevelopment of long distance railway public transport, which TRAC feels is imperative in this time of the climate crisis and social inequity.

TRAC chair, Guy Wellwood says, “It’s about time that the Government realised that there is a climate crisis and that it needs to act now to do something about it, and developing rail transport is the best way to mitigate transport emissions over distance travel”

National Coordinator for TRAC Niall Robertson says, “The current structure of having local bodies initiate all forms of public transport through their region as well is in their in their region is flawed and needs to be coordinated nationally by the government. Until this happens, local bodies have to go cap in hand with a ‘business case’ to beg for some funding from the government for a route through many other local bodies regions and hope they cooperate”.

There is a long way to go to develop services which should have been in place five years ago. The government needs to act now! It is later than we think!

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