This is my submission to the Greater Wellington Regional Council in support of the Rimutaka Incline Railway Proposal. The Council has called for public submissions on the project and you can make a submission before the 31^st of January on their website http://www.gw.govt.nz/call-for-submissions-on-rimutaka-railway-proposal

More information is available at the Trusts website, http://www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/, and you can download a copy of the proposal document as submitted to the GWRC.

To Whom It May Concern:

My submission is in support of the Rimutaka Incline Rail Heritage Trust Proposal.

The railway will provide a high quality tourist attraction that will increase the number of visitors to Wellington and extend the length of stay of visitors. By working with other tourist attractions the Rimutaka Railway will yield economic benefits for Upper Hutt, the South Wairarapa and the greater Wellington Region as demonstrated by similar railways that have been reinstated overseas (Welsh Highland Railway, West Coast Wilderness Railway, etc.)

The operation of the Railway will give regional park visitors an exciting and interesting experience of this historically significant piece of Wellington’s transport history.

The railway will give greatly increased public accessibility to the regional park for less able bodied visitors that currently don't have the ability to walk or cycle the 12km from Kaitoke to summit.

The reinstated railway should more than double the number of visitors to the site at Summit. As an example of possible visitor numbers, the West Coast Wilderness Railway in Tasmania is currently carrying approximately 50,000 visitors a year.

The proposal will create jobs in the design, construction and maintenance of the railway as well as spin off jobs in the tourism industry and other sectors. This has been evident in Wales with the Welsh Highland Railway putting about £15m a year into the local economy (The FR&WHR - Major Contributors to the Gwynedd Economy -Dr Megan Williams.) Such benefits will contribute to long-term community, industry and business development in the Wellington region.

The facilities installed at the stations along the route will be of benefit for all park users and the Trust’s proposed new cycleway will provide greater connectivity for park users between Tunnel Gully and Kaitoke.

It is my belief that a relocated cycleway along with the reinstated railway will complement each other and provide a major tourism asset to Upper Hutt, the South Wairarapa and the Wellington region.

Regards,
Benjamin Calcott