Letters: If Wellington can have commuter rail, why can't Tauranga?

A train passes by The Strand in Tauranga in 2016. Photo / File

We were sitting down the esplanade in Tauranga, having a morning coffee, when a train came along.

I like trains because they are practical for the port, our main income earner, and bring a taste of reality as well as history to our town.

Sitting there, I imagined the train stopping and disgorging lots of commuters from Tauranga's suburbs and surrounding towns if they resurrected that line.

Commuters would be happy and relaxed and not needing to park a car in town and pay for it.

In the UK and Europe, even Australia to a smaller extent, people drive to the station and then have a nice relaxing ride to work.

They read and go on their computers, phones, snooze. I even saw a girl do a complete makeup job on the morning train.

None of this sitting on roads not designed for bulk traffic, in jams creating pollution and wasting time.

If Wellington can do it, why can't we when we've already got the lines and just need the stations?

The Government wants to put money into rail, let's grab some and put our city, the fastest growing in Aotearoa, at the front of urban planning and future-proofing.

F B Sullivan
Gate Pā

Too soft on crime

It is becoming more evident that our penalties for hard crime are too weak.

We have tried all the soft ways that have proven no deterrent, so we need consecutive penalties to be introduced to stop discounts on crimes committed at the same time.

We need minimum sentences to be put in law and finally our police and emergency services need more protection being, you harm one of them you go for a very long time without parole.

Criminals know when they are committing crime and it is wrong, and wouldn't like it done to them or their family.

Graham Holloway
Gate Pā

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