New Zealand First announces ten-point rail policy

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has unveiled a ten-point rail policy aimed at strengthening regional connections and improving metropolitan infrastructure. A central component of the plan involves establishing two new council-government co-owned companies, Auckland Rail and Wellington Rail, to manage metropolitan rail infrastructure and passenger services. This move is intended to provide clearer accountability while allowing KiwiRail to focus on freight, ferries, and property.

The policy includes making the Te Huia passenger train service between Hamilton and Auckland permanent and integrating it with modern rolling stock. To improve freight capacity within the Golden Triangle, the party proposes ventilating the Kaimai Tunnel and building passing loops, a move described as a more cost-effective alternative to electrification.

Additional commitments include delivering the $1.35 billion Rail Network Investment Programme, building the Marsden Point Rail Link, and introducing two new Cook Strait ferries by 2029. The plan also seeks to protect the Avondale-Southdown rail corridor and begin planning for Auckland’s third and fourth main lines.