Labour would consider giving the NZ Transport Agency responsibility for rail planning.
Leader Andrew Little addressed the Local Government New Zealand conference this afternoon and said transport planning needed to take in road, rail, coastal shipping and ports.
"With a mode-neutral transport system we could build better transport in our towns and cities, and a more efficient freight transport network.
"But that coherence is harder to achieve in New Zealand, partly because road transport planning comes under NZTA, but rail planning doesn't," Little said.
"I'm open to discussing creative solutions to ensure that strategic coordination takes place, including by delegating NZTA the added job of strategic planning for our rail network."