A “critical milestone” has come with the railway north of Kaikoura now linked, says Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley who praises truck companies for their post-earthquake work.
“Trucking companies have done an amazing job since November’s quake forced all freight on to the alternate route over the Lewis Pass,” he says. “Despite dire predictions and incredibly trying circumstances, including poor road conditions and a much longer journey time, there has been minimal disruption to the movement of freight up and down the country.”
Shirley says the “ingenuity and adaptability” of the road transport industry to meet the challenge is an incredible story.
The opening of the rail line also means State Highway 1 reconstruction is much closer as trains can now move construction materials up and down the coast.
“Trains can begin to use the line, which will start to reduce the pressure on trucking companies to solely maintain the flow of goods across the top of the South Island,” Shirley says.
“The road transport industry congratulates KiwiRail and NCTIR on reaching the milestone and looks forward to the reinstatement of State Highway 1 later in the year and a return to a true multi-modal freight network between Christchurch and Picton.”
