Transport minister Phil Twyford says there has been no “broken promise” regarding de-electrification of the North Island main trunk line.
His comments were made during parliamentary questions on Wednesday while facing opposition transport spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross.
Twyford says the Government is in “ongoing” talks with KiwiRail over the issue.
Ross questioned Twyford about allegations he had backtracked on a promise to the Rail and Maritime Union (RMTU) that it would not go ahead with de-electrification.
Ross says a KiwiRail briefing shows Twyford wrote to the organisation while in opposition saying a Labour Government would “issue a cease and desist notice on the de-electrification programme”.
Twyford says no decision has been made yet.
“I think when a conversation is ongoing and a matter is under active consideration, it’s by definition not a broken promise.
“This Government has a transport policy that we’re proud of, to make sure that rail is part of the backbone of this country’s transport system—both passenger rail and freight.
“We’re committed to mode-neutral transport planning and decision-making. The big contrast is we’re not going to waste billions of dollars on handpicked expressways simply for the purposes of pork barrel politics,” Twyford says.
The North Island main trunk line runs from Auckland to Wellington but is electrified only between Hamilton and Palmerston North as the 1980s electrification project was never finished.
The union is fighting to keep the infrastructure in place.
RMTU general secretary Wayne Butson says the electric engines are still economical and KiwiRail have simply failed to maintain them properly.
However, KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy says the company is essentially running “a railway within a railway” by having the electric section.
“Imagine having to change planes at Hamilton and again at Palmerston North, just to fly from Auckland to Wellington.
“That’s not efficient, it’s more costly and ultimately delivers a less reliable service.”
