Peters Questions Tranz Rail Safety
New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters produced brake parts that fell off a Tranz Rail train in North Canterbury
when he raised the issue of rail safety in Parliament this afternoon.
Mr Peters asked Transport Minister Paul Swain if he had received any reports about brake failures on Tranz Rail
locomotives and whether he had confidence the company was operating safely.
“New Zealand First was given brake parts by a concerned citizen who found them on the outskirts of Kaiapoi. The man had
approached Tranz Rail with his concerns but says the company had fobbed him off.”
When asked by Mr Swain in Parliament to produce any evidence he had of safety problems, Mr Peters produced the brake
parts and an accompanying affadavit and tabled them in the House.
“This is a serious issue. The parts were clearly marked Tranz Rail. The company should not ignore people when they
approach it with genuine safety concerns.
“Tranz Rail has an obligation to act in the public interest at all times. It is clear that something is seriously wrong
and should be fixed,” said Mr Peters.