Dear Editor, After browsing your October 2 Weekend Sun newspaper letter columns, I am quite taken by comments made by correspondent R McGuinness regarding the possibility of making greater use of the Kaimai rail tunnel by (if feasible) converting it to include heavy road traffic as well. This would greatly reduce travel time and wear and tear on trucks and make it safer for them and other road users between Tauranga and Waharoa by getting most heavy duty traffic off the Kaimai Ranges! The cost of building a seperate road tunnel although more desirable would be exorbitant.

I realise this alternative route would not improve the revenue received from Route K and would require upgrading of Route 29 and probably the construction of a Bethlehem bypass for heavy traffic and I'm sure that would be welcome by commuters as well.

I do not know if the existing rail tunnel is high or wide enough for large road trucks to pass through but if it is it would as R. McGuiness says, need a special wheel surface laid beside the rails; trucks I would think,would require a temporary flanged wheel steering bogey up front at least to keep vehicles in line with the rail tracks.

There would probably be need for a heavy breakdown vehicle stationed at tunnel ends also as it would be disastrous if trains were held up! I am sure a system could be devised to control the combined tunnel use such as convoys of trucks following a train through until the next one is due for instance.

Maybe these ideas may not be entirely practical, but something along these lines (not a pun) are at least food for thought and it would be a great asset if it went ahead I'm sure.

G A MacKinven, Tauranga