D-Day for rail link plan

Tomorrow is D-Day for Hamilton's proposed commuter rail service.

Hamilton City Council staff and councillors will meet management from KiwiRail, including chief executive Jim Quinn, to discuss a trial service between the city and Auckland. Costs, who would pay for what, length of the trial, trip frequency and start-up dates will be discussed.

Council works and services general manager Chris Allen said a recent survey showed 85 per cent of people backed the project and 43 per cent of respondents thought they would use it.

Councillor Roger Hennebry was sceptical of surveys, saying they could elicit any kind of answers that people wanted.

Transport committee chairman Dave Macpherson said the initial proposal for former Silver Fern carriages to be converted into commuter trains was "a bit half-baked". He told councillors yesterday he looked forward to "talking turkey" with KiwiRail.

"The meeting is to explore whether there is a realistic project we can both formally commit to." WARWICK RASMUSSEN

- © Fairfax NZ News