Nearly half (48%) of New Zealanders want new ferries capable of taking roll-on, roll-off rail and road vehicles and passengers.
That’s according to a Horizon Research nationwide survey, which also found more than a quarter (28%) prefer new road freight and passenger ferries, with rail freight being transferred to vehicles for the ferry crossings.
The survey also finds that less than one in five (18%) want private enterprises to take over KiwiRail ferry services. More than a third (34%) want government-owned KiwiRail to keep operating its Cook Strait services.
On Dec. 11, the government announced the establishment of a new company to procure two new ferries.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was also made Minister for Rail. Peters said that to ensure the best possible solution, the private sector is invited to propose an alternative ferry service during the first stage of the procurement process.
Costs for the original plan to replace the fleet with two mega-ferries ballooned to more than $3 billion, leading to their cancellation.
According to the survey, support for rail-enabled ferries is 54% among those who voted for New Zealand First at the 2023 general election and 51% among National voters. Roughly two in five (39%) of ACT voters prefer rail-enabled, while nearly a third (31%) want non-rail-enabled.
More than three-quarters (77%) of Green, more than half (58%) of Labour, and more than three in five (63%) of Te Pāti Māori voters support the rail-enabled option.
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