Advocates are still working to get a regular passenger rail service in place from Christchurch to Invercargill.
Especially as tourist trains were now passing through Ashburton for social events, including rugby in Timaru and sightseeing in Dunedin.
The Mainlander train has a return train trip to Dunedin from April 10 to 12 which has a stop planned in Ashburton.
They have also listed on their website plans for a service from Christchurch to Ashburton and return, transporting people to visit the Ashburton Show later in the year.
Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan said there were some great opportunities that a train service to Ashburton could bring and she was fully supportive of Ashburton being involved in such opportunities.
She said people from The Mainlander recently made a presentation to the Regional Land Transport Committee and she had been advocating for Ashburton as a stop.
‘‘Council staff have been working with KiwiRail to look at disembarking options in Ashburton (for the show and other potential events or trips), given that passengers need to get on and off the train safely.
‘‘Mainlander do have a portable staircase that could be used,’’ McMillan said.
The return of a rail service would be music to the ears of Lal Mulligan who last year, with fellow advocate Bev Skates, pounded the streets of Ashburton gathering signatures on a petition to help support the return on the train service.
The Save our Trains Southern advocacy group gathered 13,000 signatures in four weeks with the aim of bringing a regular passenger service from Christchurch to Invercargill.
Group spokesperson Dave MacPherson said in a statement that Parliament was currently considering the petition.
Mulligan said the advocacy group had been asked to provide more information to the government.
‘‘A passenger rail service is a much better mover of people and more economical than cars’’, Mulligan said.
She said interest had grown for having an affordable and regular train service.
Macpherson said trains, even when using diesel, used only a fraction of the fuel per passenger or per tonne of freight needed to transport people and goods, when compared with alternative forms of transport.
Trains powered by locally-produced renewable electricity, can significantly cut our dependency on imported fuels.
‘‘Mayors in the regions are worried about the effect increased oil prices are having on transport services for their communities, with increased airfares and reduced air services,” MacPherson said.
‘‘The trucking industry, and private travellers are struggling with increased fuel costs.
‘‘The signs point towards New Zealand’s lack of energy self-reliance being about to cost us dearly.”
The group said that to establish a passenger service along the main line using new rolling stock and existing infrastructure would cost about $130 million in total, compared with $38 million per kilometres for the current roads of national significance.
The train service would provide 560km of transport for the cost of about 4km of motorway.
Based on the current North Island train travel costs, it was estimated an Ashburton to Christchurch fare would be $20; Ashburton to Dunedin of $50 to $55, while Christchurch to Dunedin $70.
The current fare on the Mainlander, one way from Christchurch to Dunedin is $199, and return $399 for their April trip.
