KiwiRail must upgrade its electric fleet

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KiwiRail must upgrade its electric fleet

The Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) is voicing its support for demonstrators who are rallying at the Cenotaph steps outside of Parliament calling for KiwiRail to reinvest in an electric fleet says RMTU organiser Todd Valster.

“KiwiRail is currently considering downgrading its electric fleet on the North Island Main Trunk Line to a diesel-powered fleet.”

“While the rest of the world is transitioning to clean energy, KiwiRail is considering a downgrade. This isn’t the future, Diesel-powered locomotives are the past,” says Valster. 

“Over 4000 people have emailed KiwiRail asking for CEO Peter Reidy to invest in an electric fleet. The public is behind clean energy, even if KiwiRail and the government aren’t.”

“We need clean energy and clean jobs,” says Valster.

Demonstrators are gathering at the Cenotaph Steps outside of Parliament at midday on Wednesday.

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For further comment contact RMTU organiser Todd Valster: 027 445 4691

ENDS

 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Well done Rod,

    Read what the CEO said about the importance of rail for the environment?

    To compete with road transport the cost of electrified rail will beat road hands up so we agree wholeheartedly with your call here.

    Every other country wants electric rail as a way of producing less carbon footprint and a stronger economy and less reliance on oil so Kiwirail get the electric locomotives and fix the Napier Gisborne rail while you’re at it and lease it to HBRC to operate if you want some cash flow again.

  2. Given that National, rather than Labour, actually began electrification of the main trunk line in the late 70s, you might expect National to have something to say about this. But……. silence! National has so divorced itself from being a proper government to become an adhoc corporate rubber stamp device that it no longer cares.

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