Firm floats port rail plan

JASON OXENHAM/Central Leader

TRAIN OF THOUGHT: Pacifica Shipping is pushing for Onehunga's railway line to be extended to the port, a move that could see freight shifted by trains and hundreds of trucks taken off Auckland roads.

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A bid to move cargo between Auckland's ports by rail could remove hundreds of trucks from the roads.

Pacifica Shipping, the main company operating from the Port of Onehunga, wants the suburb's branch line extended to the wharf.

"We are carrying a lot of South Island cargo destined for export, all of which has to be transferred by truck and trailer across Auckland to the main international port," chief executive Rod Grout says.

The firm handles about 500 containers from Nelson and Canterbury each week.

Mr Grout says they're shipped into the Manukau Harbour rather than the Waitemata because it's quicker.

The branch line between Penrose and Onehunga is due to reopen in 2009 at a cost of $15 million. The disused line runs out a few metres short of a railway tunnel under the old Mangere Bridge, where trains used to enter the port.

Mr Grout says his firm could move even more cargo if the line was reopened.

Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee says officials are investigating the idea.

"From my own personal experience it takes time for these ideas to be accepted," he says.

"But I think it's a very sound idea for the longer term and it needs to be pursued."

Mr Lee says the cost of extending the line has not been finalised, but is likely to be 'hundreds of thousands'.

Ontrack acting chief executive William Peet says engineers need to inspect the line before costs can be estimated.

"We've seen the community interest, and we're going to do that over the next two weeks," he says.

The Campaign for Better Transport, which petitioned to have the branch line reopened, says extending it to the wharf makes sense.

Spokesman Cameron Pitches says costs could be offset by savings in road maintenance.

"There's ratepayers and taxpayers' money going into upgrading the roads to support the trucks," he says.

"Why not put that money into upgrading the rail?"

Ports of Auckland, which owns the Port of Onehunga, were unable to comment by deadline.

- © Fairfax NZ News