The Save Our Trains campaign was started in January 2022 by concerned members of the public focused on maintaining and developing passenger rail services.
A public meeting of the Save Our Trains campaign will be held on Apri 15 2023 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm at the auditorium of Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, 31 Queens Gardens, Central Dunedin.
Save Our Trains spokesperson Patrick Rooney says the inaugural Dunedin meeting for the campaign will feature a panel of local and national rail and transport campaigners and experts.
These include Patrick Rooney (national organizing committee of Save Our Trains) Dunedin list MP Rachel Brooking, Dunedin City Councillor Jim O’Malley, Dr Duncan Connors (University of Otago) and Dave McPherson (former Hamilton City Councillor.)
The meeting will be chaired by Dunedin unionist Victor Billot.
Patrick says the Save Our Trains campaign is focused on rebuilding high quality and affordable inter regional passenger rail services throughout New Zealand.
He says there has been strong interest in the campaign from Dunedin and Otago.
“There has been a number of local initiatives and campaigns around passenger rail in Dunedin, including the potential for Dunedin Rail to be extended into offering commuter passenger services.”
“There is interest in revitalising an intercity service such as the former Southerner service. Passenger rail has many social and environmental benefits but will require investment and leadership to fulfil its potential.” he says
The purpose of the meeting will be to promote passenger rail and to build a local network of supporters to put the issue on the agenda for the general election and going forward..
Save Our Trains is one of the supporting organisations of a national passenger rail conference to be held in Wellington on June 28.
