Motion #07
The government has committed to building East West Rail. This will largely replace the Varsity rail line, much of which was closed in the 1960s. The new railway line will fill an important gap in the network and will help reduce car dependency in the region, replacing car journeys with train journeys. However, current proposals will have diesel trains running on the line to begin with. Retrofitting the infrastructure to allow for electric trains to run on the line will be more costly later on.
Insert into Record of Policy Statements “The Green Party supports the building of East West Rail in full and calls for the project to be electrified from the beginning. The railway should be accessible for everyone and be well connected to active transport routes. The route should minimise disruption to local communities as far as possible and bring local benefits. The route should minimise negative impacts on public green spaces, nature and wildlife and carry out appropriate mitigation works.”