KiwiRail needs Govt to back electric trains

National needs to commit to the full electrification of the Main Trunk Line between Auckland and Wellington so KiwiRail can upgrade to new clean-energy electric trains, the Green Party said today.

KiwiRail is expected to reveal on Monday whether it will replace its existing fleet of electric locomotives with new electric ones, or revert back to diesel locomotives.

“It would be ridiculous to revert back to dirty diesel trains, particularly given National’s promise to move away from climate-polluting fossil fuels like diesel," said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“National needs to step up and commit to an electric rail future by completing the electrification of the Main Trunk Line.

“Part of the reason KiwiRail is even considering going back to diesel trains is because its electric trains can only go as far as Te Rapa and Palmerston North.

“National could fix this problem by funding the electrification of the Main Trunk Line, but instead it’s choosing to prioritise billion dollar, low-value motorways like the ‘holiday highway’ from Puhoi to Wellsford.

“National is willing to spend almost seven times more on the ‘holiday highway’ alone than it spends each year on investing in the rail network.

“Countries around the world are moving towards electric transport. It would be embarrassing if the National Government decided to go backwards and replace clean-energy trains with polluting diesel ones,” said Ms Genter.

Action

Protect Nature

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Climate Change Announcements

Story

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire

The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations.

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment

New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member...

CCC issues warning over further climate delay

Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in lig...

Reversing oil and gas ban brazen and utterly reckless

The Government’s new timeframe for expanding oil and gas exploration starts the clock on the time remaining to save the oil and gas ban.

Govt slams on the brakes of climate action

The scrapping of the Clean Car Discount is an act of climate vandalism - and the Green Party is calling on the Government to release all the advice...

Luxon’s free pass to the fossil fuel industry needs to be stopped

Chris Luxon is giving big oil and gas corporations a free pass at a time when countries all over the world agree to transition away from fossil fuels.

Story

Green Party members’ bill pulled from the ballot

Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentiv...

More emissions, more congestion, transport policy a disaster

The Government’s policy statement on transport is a climate change-fuelling, congestion creating disaster. It will not work.

Public transport and housing must be prioritised from remnants of Let's Get Wellington Moving

The new government's decision to walk away from Let's Get Wellington Moving shows they are still tied to the failed approach of building more roads.

Govt slams on the brakes of climate action

The scrapping of the Clean Car Discount is an act of climate vandalism - and the Green Party is calling on the Government to release all the advice...

National put climate action into reverse gear

The National Party’s plan to install EV chargers while at the same time making it harder for people to buy an EV is bizarre and ridiculous.

Prioritising roads over climate is simply irresponsible

The Government’s decision today to prioritise new roads is the exact opposite of what Aotearoa needs right now and needs a rethink.