Hopes dim for return of KiwiRail service

Hopes KiwiRail might bring back a passenger service between Dunedin and Christchurch appear to be dimming.

Dave Cull
Dave Cull

KiwiRail said yesterday the idea, raised late last year, had not progressed, and it appeared from the company's response it might not.

In December, the state-owned company said the route was being considered while the earthquake-affected Coastal Pacific service from Picton to Christchurch was out of action.

Its carriages had been redeployed to increase the number of seats available on the TranzAlpine and Northern Explorer services and the company was assessing other potential service options for the carriages.

That included between Dunedin and Christchurch, which could be used until the Coastal Pacific was fully operational again.

The idea was welcomed locally, where there have been calls over the years for the return of the Southerner train, a passenger service that ran six days a week between Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill between 1970 and 2002.

A KiwiRail spokeswoman said yesterday the company would only consider opening a passenger service if enough passengers used the train on a regular basis to make the service financially viable.

''KiwiRail is always open to new passenger services if forecast demand or tourism growth is present in commercial quantities.''

Clare Curran
Clare Curran

But no further progress had been made on a service between Christchurch and Dunedin and the available passenger cars were being used in Wellington, and scenic rail services in other places.

Mayor Dave Cull said he was unaware of any discussion between the city and KiwiRail.

KiwiRail had to do things in a financially viable way.

The council would also have to look at a business case before it got involved.

''I'd find it hard to justify spending ratepayer money unless there was a tangible benefit to the city, and that case hasn't been made.''

Mr Cull compared the idea of the Southerner to Dunedin Railways' Taieri Gorge route.

He said financially the service ''cracks even'' at best, although it was considered to provide a benefit to the city as a tourism attraction.

''It is, I know, bloody hard to keep it financially viable.''

Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran said she was not certain from the response KiwiRail would not go ahead with the plan.

''What I would like to see is KiwiRail do an assessment.''

Dunedin North Labour MP David Clark was concerned the latest comments from KiwiRail ''look like back-pedalling''.

It would also seem sensible to consider the idea in the face of ''considerable tourism growth in the South''.

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz

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