Dear John,

I can now advise that there will be two new railway stations one in each of the Electorates of Papakura and Port Waikato between Papakura Station and Pukekohe station and that Drury Railway station will remain as Drury. The map below shows the locations and the three names that have been proposed.

Map showing the location of the three new railway stations

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has opened public consultation on the proposed names for these three railway stations around Drury, south of Auckland. The consultation runs from Tuesday 9 August to Wednesday 9 November 2022.

The proposed names are:

• Paerātā Railway Station, Port Waikato Electorate
• Ngākōroa Railway Station, Papakura Electorate and
• Drury Railway Station, Papakura Electorate.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) Chairperson Anselm Haanen says “Name proposals were made by KiwiRail, with the support of a Mana Whenua Forum.”

The LINZ Board declined the proposal for the name Maketuu Railway Station, and so the consultation will consider Drury Railway Station instead.

Generally, the LINZ Board’s approach is to name railway stations after the destination they serve, which makes it easier for travellers. Preferred are names with strong links to the destination or significant nearby features that people can relate to.

The Board’s view was that the town of Drury has a better natural association with the railway station so Drury is the choice.

Ngākōroa Railway Station is named after the nearby stream and Paerātā Railway Station is named after the nearby locality which includes the new development of Paerata Rise.

These two Māori names use standardised spelling with macrons, replacing the double vowels in the KiwiRail proposals.

The LINZ Board adopts a nationally consistent, standardised approach for official names in te reo.

Now the LINZ board want feedback on all three name proposals from you, the public.

Anyone can make supporting or objecting submissions on the proposed new railway station names Submissions on these proposed railway station names may be made on the form linked from http://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/place-names/place-name-consultation;

Or by email to: [email protected];

Or by writing to the Secretary of the New Zealand Geographic Board, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145.

Assigning names to three new south Auckland Railway Stations

The Board welcomes alternative suggestions. After the three-month consultation period, the Board will consider all submissions and alternative suggestions at its meeting/hui on 2 December 2022.

I strongly support people making submissions on these new stations because this is about where a good number of you live and or work, so take the time to air your views before 9 November 2022.

Best wishes,

Judith

Hon Judith Collins
http://judithcollins.national.org.nz/