The New Zealand government will invest $250,000 to investigate the viability scenic passenger train service between Westport and Hokitika, which is hoped would help boost tourism in the region.
The study will look into options for a daily, two-way scenic train service between the two centres on the West Coast Line, which currently used for carrying coal and dairy freight. Along with track upgrades, a new train station in Hokitika and carriage maintenance facility in Greymouth would be constructed if the project gets the green light.
Peter Reidy, KiwiRail’s outgoing chief executive welcomed the announced feasibility study and said that a Westport-Hokitika scenic train would complement the operator’s existing services.
“Our award-winning TranzAlpine service between Christchurch and Greymouth is often oversubscribed so the time is right to investigate the possibility of a regular scenic service that can take visitors further afield on the West Coast,” Reidy said.
Reidy indicated that feasibility study would consult local tourism operators and transport providers to develop and test potential packages and itineraries for passengers.
“It’s about exploring the potential of a rail service to build on existing tourism offerings and create opportunities for new businesses and jobs for locals,” he said.
“The West Coast rail line is a freight line at present carrying coal and dairy products. The study will investigate the track upgrades required to make it suitable for passenger trains, plus the cost of locomotives, carriages and maintenance facilities needed to run a daily service between Westport and Hokitika.”
The feasibility study will be funded out of New Zealand’s Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), which puts aside $1 billion a year for regional development projects.