14 Dec 2023

Road freighter happy KiwiRail knocked back over budget blowout

From Midday Report, 12:15 pm on 14 December 2023

Road freight operators are pleased to see the new government holding Kiwirail to account over its Cook Strait ferry project.

Kiwirail was planning to build two custom-made Interislander ferries alongside a major port infrastructure upgrade.

But the new government says a massive budget blow out means it's too expensive.

Kiwirail says it's going back to the drawing board but has suggested it may still build the ferries and then sell them.

Billie Clemens - project and policy advisor for Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand which represents 1200 road freight transport companies, spoke to Midday Report.