KEY POINTS:
The amount of freight carried on rail between Auckland and Palmerston North rose 39 per cent last year, says rail freight operator Toll NZ.
Joe Garbellini, Toll NZ's rail boss, was yesterday talking up the role rail can play in reducing the number of trucks on the road. He did so as long-term access fees to the state-owned rail network remain subject to negotiation, and as the safety of Waikato roads is in the news.
"We are dispelling the myth that rail is only good for the transport of bulk materials, like logs or coal," he said.
The 667km Auckland to Palmerston North route, on which five trains run daily, saw an increase in tonnage of more than 39 per cent last year. This reduced the number of trucks travelling between Auckland and Palmerston North by 120 each day.
- NZPA
