The Dunedin City Council is pushing for inter-regional trains to connect Dunedin with other cities, and to have suburban trains arriving and departing from the city’s historic railway station.
On Tuesday, the Dunedin City Council will debate its draft submission to an inquiry into the future of inter-regional passenger rail in New Zealand.
The draft submission from mayor Aaron Hawkins asks for a business case – and trial – for passenger rail between Dunedin and Mosgiel, and the resumption of inter-regional travel between the city and Christchurch and Invercargill.
“If New Zealand wants to achieve its carbon zero goals rail needs to play a much bigger role in our transport system, and greater ambition is needed to drive improvements to rail in the South Island,” it states.
