KAIMAI TUNNEL WILL BE MAJOR PROJECT

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 58, 27 July 1965, Page 8

KAIMAI TUNNEL WILL BE MAJOR PROJECT

Construction of the Kaimai tunnel will cost approximately £5| millions, of which £2 millions will be spent outside the tunnel itself ... This was stated by Ministry of Works engineer, Mr J. E. Pollock, of Hamilton,

But once in operation, he 1 added, travelling to Taui ranga would be reduced by 32 miles from Auckland and Hamilton, and 62 miles from Kinleith, Putaruru and Rotorua. Describing how the scheme came into being, Mr Pollock said investigations were carried out by a Commission of Inquiry which heard evidence from 30 differemt departments, local bodies, private individuals and commercial and transport interests. When its report was published it contained the following recommendations: 0 Development to Class I standards, with crawler lanes, where required over the Kaimai and RotoruaMt Maunganui highway, in accordance with the National Roads Board 1 programme. 0 Investigation and immediate survey of a railway deviation and tunnel through the Kaimai ; Ranges, and construction of the deviation on completion of plans, reports and estimates, and, 0 Postponement in the meantime of the RotoruaPaengaroa railway. Quoting facts and figures which were cited in evidence at the Commission of Inquiry, Mr Pollock said freight carried by rail into and out of the Bay of Plenty by the existing route through Paeroa amounted to 317,000 tons in 1952, and 612,000 tons in 1962 — an increase of nearly 100 per cent in 10 years. The average national rate of increase was about 3 to 4 per cent per annum, and this figure was used in fore- - casting a tonnage of 870,000 in 1970. The actual rate of increase in the Bay of Plenty area was 5 per cent per annum, and Bay of Plenty toniages represented 10 per cent

of the North Island's in 1962. Cross traffic beween the Rotorua and Kinleith areas and the Bay of Plenty was estimated at 136,000 tons of additional freight generated by the new line and lower freight rates. But this took no account of the present tonnages carried by road transport, nor of the natural increase between now and opening of the deiviation. Slightly more than one million tons of freight would use the new deviation when it was opened about July, 1970. From a financial angle the new line would improve the East Coast's line operating revenue by some £200,000 per annum, made up of increased gross revenue and a saving of capital expeaiditure on extra locomotives and rolling stock if the present line were maintained. To this should be added £100,000 per annum increased revenue from Rotorua and Kinleith traffic, giving a total of £300,000 — a return of 5£ per cent on capital expenditure of £5| millions as at 1970.