Petition To Save Te Huia Passes 4000
The petition asks the government to approve funding to complete the agreed Te Huia train trial, due to finish in 2026. Funding beyond June 2024 is uncertain.
Te Huia is the passenger train between Auckland and Hamilton launched in 2021 to help connect the two growing cities.
TRON local spokesperson, Georgie Dansey, says Te Huia has been so popular that extra services have been added.
She adds “despite its success, Te Huia is only part way through a 5-year trial period with no funding certainty from central government beyond the end of June 2024. The Government needs to commit to finishing the 5-year trial so a fair assessment can be made.”
“It deserves a fair go,” says Dansey.
The Future Is Rail/ Save Our Trains national spokesperson, Suraya Sidhu Singh, says “if we are truly serious about connecting our communities, reducing emissions, and harnessing economic opportunities then we need to act now to protect Te Huia.”
“The petition response shows that people care about maintaining public transport options.”
The NZTA Waka Kotahi Board will be meeting on Thursday to determine funding arrangements for Te Huia.
The petition can be found at: https://bit.ly/SignTeHuia