Get Involved

Open consultations, conferences and campaigns ¶

• Ensure replacement Cook Strait ferries can carry trains - The ageing Interislander ferries must be replaced. it’s crucial that new ferries are rail-enabled and publicly owned, letting rail freight and equipment move easily between the North and South Islands. Without rail-enabled ferries, the two islands’ rail networks will be disconnected, restricting the movement of goods and putting the South Island’s whole rail network at risk. Current and future passenger rail services also rely on a viable national rail network.
  
  To sign the petition
• Fund public transport in Greater Christchurch - Public Transport Futures will deliver a fit-for-purpose public transport system for New Zealand's second largest city, by increasing the frequency of the busiest bus routes to every ten minutes or better by 2028, adding additional direct services to the key centres in Waimakariri and Selwyn, and include new bus lanes, infrastructure such as bus shelters, and real-time displays.
  
  For further information and to sign the petition
• Transport for All was born from a shared need to come together and fight to save funding for public transport, walking, cycling, and our rail network. We can't imagine a world where people are forced to sit in traffic, or stay at home, because of a lack of alternatives. We have a shared belief in transport equity and access, and the ability of transport to connect us and enliven our communities.
  
  The draft government funding plan for land transport primarily focuses on roads, leaving out buses, trains, cyclists, and pedestrians. This approach could lead to reduced public transport options, fewer opportunities for walking and cycling, and a weakened rail network.
  
  The consequence? More crowding on our roads and fewer alternatives.
  
  For information, visit Transport for All
  
  To sign the petition
• Save Our National Passenger Rail Network is petitioning the government and Kiwirail to commit to maintaining existing intercity passenger rail services and asking for a comprehensive national strategy for future passenger rail services built around concerns for climate action, accessibility and economic development.
  
  To sign the petition
• Lets Connect Communities is an initiative to create a sustainable environmentally friendly national passenger transport network connecting communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
  
  For information, visit Lets Connect Communities
• It is time to reform rail in New Zealand - The recent Government's parliamentary Transport and Infrastructure Committee inquiry into the future of inter-regional passenger rail in Aotearoa New Zealand, raises the question, why can't the national rail network be the 'new' open access, environmentally friendly, national 'steel' highway network allowing greater utilisation of the network with increase freight and passenger train services through efficient signalling and increased track speeds.
  
  For information, visit It is time to reform rail in New Zealand
• Aotearoa Collective for Public Transport Equity is currently petitioning the government for free public transport for under 25s, community service card holders, and tertiary students.
  
  To sign the petition
• Government Policy Statement on Land Transport - The Coalition Government has published their draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (a.k.a. the "GPS"). It sets out the priorities for land transport, including rail, for the next 10 years. 
  
  When it comes to rail, the GPS generally paints a grim picture of a diminished rail network. The draft plan also looks to increase public transport fares and reduces the ability of councils to provide transport choice to their communities. Carbon emissions reduction has been removed as a government priority.
  
  You can read the Future is Rail summary of the potential impact of the GPS on rail here: https://thefutureisrail.org/gps-rail

Get involved ¶

• Use public transport

• Make submissions requesting better, environmentally friendly, public transport

• Talk to your local councillors and member of parliament about the importance of great public transport

  Ask them for improvements that you care about whether it is different timetables, warm dry bus shelters, single ticketing, journey planning apps or accessible buses.

• Vote for local councillor/s and members of parliament who support and advocate for environmentally friendly sustainable public transport

• Petition political parties for environmentally friendly sustainable public transport

Why advocate for public transport ¶

Public transport whether it is by bus, scenic coach, passenger train and/or ferry is a sustainable environment friendly way of getting around Aotearoa New Zealand. It could be so much better and help Aotearoa New Zealand meet or exceed its climate targets. Imagine travelling hassle free on a frequent public transport services using one easy to use payment/ticketing system, easy to use travel information website and smart phone travel app.

Unfortunately, for too long politicians in councils and government have spent most transport dollars on trying to make driving easier. By putting cars first and denying us affordable and frequent transport choices, they have forced more and more people to drive allowing for carbon and other toxic emissions to escape into the atmosphere warming our planet.

It's time for politicians in councils and government to start to think about our environment and starting work towards Aotearoa New Zealand net zero emissions goals.

Background reading and useful links ¶

A collection of links useful information about public transport in New Zealand, including government documents:

• New Zealand unified passenger transport initiative
• Motu Move - New public transport payment system
• The Sustainable Public Transport Framework (SPTF) and its predecessor the Public Transport Operating Model.
• The New Zealand Rail Plan
• New Zealand's new National Public Transport Network
• New Zealand's new Regional Passenger Rail Network
• Re-establishing long distance passenger rail services
• It is time to reform New Zealand's national rail network
• Future of rail. A lot of government documents on rail get proactively released here.
• Heriot Edivale (a public transport and rail consultancy) hosts a long list of independent reports, publicly released government documents and articles on rail.
• Making Rail Work: A community’s proposal for the re-introduction of an intercity passenger rail link to Tauranga.
• All submissions to the parliamentary inquiry.

KiwiRail

• The letter of Expectation for the KiwiRail Board 2021-2022. This outlines what the Shareholding Ministers expect KiwiRail to do. Earlier letters: 2019/20, 2015/16.
• The New Zealand Rail Plan
• KiwiRail Holdings disclosure documents
• The Terms of Reference for the Entity Form Review of KiwiRail.
• KiwiRail’s explanation of why it doesn’t run interregional passenger transport.

Public Transport Forum New Zealand Articles

• Read our media, guest articles and opinions
• Links to our supporting organisations