The ARA released its Benefit of Rail to New Zealand report at the Building Nations conference in Auckland on Wednesday. The report, prepared by EY, shows that rail delivers $3.3 billion to the NZ economy, including almost $1 billion towards GDP and $2.3 billion in environmental, safety, health and reduced road congestion benefits.

It also showed that the rail industry provides 1,010 full-time equivalent jobs annually in other sectors such as construction and wholesale and retail trade on top of 5,500 jobs in rail. The report details the considerable benefits to the New Zealand economy that rail delivers including:

• $1.53 billion – reduced travel time and road congestion

•$291 million – less adverse health effects

• $267 million – lower fuel and maintenance costs

• $161 million – less crashes, deaths, and serious injuries

• $36 million – less domestic greenhouse gas emissions