This petition is on behalf of the Tuakau & Districts Development Association Inc. and the people of Tuakau and surrounding districts. 

We respectfully request that the New Zealand government supports Kiwirail in re-establishing the Tuakau Railway Station and a regular passager commuter service. Currently the town has 6,200 residents, up from 4,500 in 12 years. Tuakau's growth has outstripped all growth projections.

This petition is directed to Shane Jones of New Zealand First who is the Minister for Regional Economic Development and is responsible for the $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund.

We the people, need the Tuakau Railway Station and Rail Service to be funded and built as soon as possible and to be included in the planned Auckland and Hamilton run. Also we want it to electrified along with Pukekohe.

We are in the Waikato Council region and on the border of the Auckland Council but neither are willing to help out our community that needs this train station.

Cafes and restaurants can be build, retail shops can be utilized, school and local sporting events can be populated and our students can travel to university straight from their hometown instead of being dropped off at Papakura (a 31 km drive). The region will thrive.

Industries can establish and set up businesses which will help create local jobs and tourism opportunities for surrounding districts. Residents that work in Auckland can save time travelling as the Southern Motorway is usually filled to capacity by 6 am most week days.

The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is made for projects like the Tuakau Railway Station. A commitment needs to be made right away and preferably before the election as the community has been crying out for too long for this to be ignored any more.

We are currently putting together an PGF application.

Please consider funding the Tuakau Railway Station and Rail Service and help our community become greater than ever before.

Thank you

The people of Tuakau and surrounding suburbs that support this petition.

To learn more about the growing Tuakau community click link.

 www.franklinlifenz.com

*Background on the original Tuakau railway station. The station was on the North Island Main Trunk line and opened on 20 May 1875. The station was rebuilt in 1910, and closed to passengers on 14 March 1983. The station closed on 2 March 1986.