Opportunities for short-haul rail freight in New Zealand: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Professional Studies

Abstract

This study examines short-haul rail freight opportunities in New Zealand and begins by defining short-haul. The geographical context of the region is the primary factor for defining short-haul. This study concluded that the short-haul boundary in New Zealand is 200 km. Greenhouse gas emissions and the Kyoto protocol are pushing governments worldwide to examine their transport infrastructure and planning and New Zealand is no different. New Zealand's legislation is examined with reference to promoting rail as a modal choice. The Land Transport Management Act 2003 was amended in 2008 to ensure transport planners consider rail in their regional transport plans.

The North Auckland Line is an economically marginal line for KiwiRail to operate on. However it is of strong strategic value to Auckland City and should be considered as an asset of the region. If it is uneconomic for KiwiRail to keep the line open, Auckland City should maintain it as it will give Auckland a lifeline from the north if a volcanic event occurs. Christchurch is used to model where container transfer sites could be located to move freight around the city by rail should oil prices cripple road use. With lines going three ways through the city Christchurch is well placed to take advantage of short-haul rail freight. Case studies indicate that using rail for short-hauls produces as little as 11% of the emissions that is produced by using HRVs.

A matrix for decision makers to follow when considering short-haul freight tasks was developed. This process examines the task using triple bottom line methodology. The study concludes that there will be further opportunities for short-haul rail freight in New Zealand and considers that the modal shift to rail may be greater than that predicted in 2006.