Letters: New Plymouth and Marton rail is good business for Whanganui

Whanganui sits on the New Plymouth to Marton line. Photo / Bevan Conley

I so admire the work of lobby group Save Our Rail, and fully support and encourage the setting-up of passenger rail services between New Plymouth and Marton, passing through Whanganui.

The idea resonates strongly with me. I was a child who frequently enjoyed the Blue Streak railcar to Wellington.

I also remember a time when Anniversary Day travel links between Whanganui and New Plymouth were strong.

Our cities are close enough together to form meaningful relational and commercial bonds; and to build health, mobility and infrastructure resilience by adding passenger rail, is essential, especially in this time of volatile and unpredictable climate patterns.

There are multiple towns between Marton and New Plymouth. Rail is the perfect way to unite this stretch of the western North Island.

Suraya Sidhu Singh has done the research and recognises that we are a region built around rail.

Much of the infrastructure is there, and community support is strong.

With the huge cost of constant road upgrades, and rapidly multiplying automobile numbers, it seems like a logical time to reintroduce passenger rail.

CHANNA MIRIAM KNUCKEY

Whanganui East

Repertory’s ‘The Woman in Black’ a world-class performance

I attended Repertory’s The Woman in Black over the weekend with a group of friends. We all agreed that we could have been on Broadway or in the West End of London.

The two main actors, Jimmy Sutcliff and Isham Redford, were brilliant, switching roles seamlessly so there was no confusion. Their acting was as good as you would find in the finest playhouses of the world.

The woman of the title was played by Meynell Smith in a suitably spooky fashion. Hamish McDouall’s direction was inspirational, so convincing that the audience’s suspension of disbelief never wavered. This is a production not to be missed. It runs until Saturday, May 6.

JOAN ROSIER-JONES

Whanganui East

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RENE DE JONGH

Whanganui