Toll is taking important steps to revitalise rail. The authors have significant new bulk traffics, innovative solutions to dairy traffic in the Waikato, and an increasing partnership with ports around New Zealand. Refer to major new traffics as an indicator of how rail can contribute. There are nevertheless still barriers to overcome. Track may need upgrading to handle the increasing volume. Heavier axle loads would help on some routes. New locomotives and wagons will be needed. Tunnels with 19th century profiles need enlarging for 21st century containers. But to invest in rail, for Toll and the Government, means there must be adequate returns. These will be difficult to achieve whilst we continue to disregard the full economic cost of infrastructure including externalities which contributes towards an uneven playing field between road and rail. In addition the mechanisms for contributing to rail for socially desirable but uneconomic functions needs an overhaul. ‘Alternatives to Roading’ is no longer an appropriate way of doing this under the new strategy and legislation. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E212706.
Abstract