Rail deserves full backing

I agree with Mary Liza Manuel that there should be much more support for opening the railway line from all the Gisborne district fraternity. It seems the only prospect on the horizon to boost employment and the local economy, so should be strongly supported by Activate Gisborne, Heart of Gisborne, Tourist Eastland, the council and every other organisation that cares for our local community.

I know our supermarkets are supplied from the north, but with a train coming in every day there would be no reason why they could not be supplied from Wellington and Palmerston North. I envisage 10 tonne aluminium containers that can be locked and handled by forklifts.

Then there is the five or six truck-and-trailer tankers daily bringing the petrol and diesel in — they would be redundant, plus all the trucks supplying our shops, large and small.

Leaving the district is our vast quantity of wine, crops and the produce from Cedenco, LeaderBrand, Kaiaponi and the meat works.

Later, I would love to see railcars introduced — plus all the tourist steam train visits.

As for economics, rail line maintenance would be more than covered by the saving on highway maintenance, plus the saving of life, injuries and car damage due to less congestion on our roads.

The advantages of a daily train service obviously outweigh any perceived disadvantages.

G. Gibson