Every poll taken regarding the Great Northern Railway sees a massive support for the return of rail services. Yet Armidale and Glen Innes councils ignore the wishes of so many of the electorate! Who do they actually represent, in that case? Certainly not the voters! This is a main arterial route right into the centre of Sydney that could easily link to the Inland Route and Brisbane. The bus "service" is totally inadequate and fails to service infirm and disabled people.
Peter Watters - 4 years ago
Bikes can be ridden anywhere on existing backroads, trails and paths. There is simply no need to rip up the rail line for a bike path. The rail line should be restored as it will bring great economic benefit to the region.
Leitha Hyde - 5 years ago
We should be using the rail lines for both passengers and freight/goods. A goods train can carry more than trucks and it would help reduce wear and tear on the roads as well as helping to reduce the chance of road accidents by taking trucks, buses, and other heavy vehicles off the road. Not to mention that if the rail lines are reopened, there would be employment created by the need to maintain the stations, tracks and trains needed to service those lines.
Imi Bokor - 5 years ago
Reinstate both passenger and freight services, and make the line standard gauge all the way to Brisbane. This is far less costly than building/"up-grading" roads, not to mention environmental considerations. We recently drove from Queensland to Sydney, and noted the various "up-grades" and new constructions. The length and cost of these were noted on signs. Not one was less than $13,000,000 per kilometre. According to the Queensland government, rail costs about $2,000,000 per kilometre to construct. Moreover, a railway network provides not only more employment, but stimulates the local economies of the places with stations, and is far cheaper to maintain than motorways and highways.
Jack Arnold - 5 years ago
Aileen MacDonald appears to be employed by the NIR to destroy the Great Northern Railway so that the NIR will have no competition and might just be able to repay the initial investment in less than 50 years. The NIR economic case shows that the whole NIR is uneconomic compare to other possibilities using and developing the GNR.
So which unelected political hack in the Nat$ will be the financial beneficiary of both Federal government funding, now about $700 MILLION, and any subsequent commercial use of this white elephant project?
Gwilym Richards - 5 years ago
Railway brings more tourism
Sue Hud - 5 years ago
For heavens sake get rid of this ridiculous debate! Nobody wants a bike trail, give us back our rail line for TRAINS not bikes for a few people.
I would use the rail line to get to Queensland. I use the rail to get to Sydney, I would use the rail to visit family in Brisbane and Gold Coast.
PLEASE USE SOME COMMON SENSE IN THIS MATTER ARMIDALE COUNCIL. LISTEN TO WHAT WE ARE SAYING!!!
Corruption Hater - 6 years ago
The smell of corruption over this New England Rail Trail debacle is stifling! Clearly the majority of New England don't want this crap, yet Aileen MacDonald (who failed to be elected as a councillor of Armidale Regional Council) is somehow still a member of two Armidale Regional Council subcommittees and is pushing her rail trail agenda onto council and its ratepayers. Back off Aileen and shove your rail trail where the sun don't shine! Better still, Simon Murray, Mayor of Armidale Regional Council, should grow a pair and tell Aileen and her Liberal Party MP husband to rack off!
Russell - 6 years ago
The New England region needs better public transport services including a train service not a silly bike track putting a burden on tax payers to construct and ratepayers to maintain. People north of Armidale to the border are forgotten about. The line north of armidale should be reactivated for both freight and passenger services and can connect with the inland rail at Toowoomba, it would provide jobs, growth, tourism and stimulate local economies while assisting in promoting local industries. Passenger Services could be provided in both directions to Sydney and to Toowoomba or Brisbane. There are plenty of tracks and trails in the national parks to utilise plus the national trail passes through the new England region.
Train Dude - 6 years ago
How does anyone take that clown of a Guyra Bike Shop owner seriously? David Mills your a first rate twit.
Debbie - 6 years ago
Open up more direct routes! I am travelling to Dubbo in June, and to do this by rail is a two day trip with an overnight in Sydney! Dubbo is only 5 hours away by car and if I could drive then I would.
Peter W - 6 years ago
It is simply wrong to spend public money on bike tracks in remote areas that will be used by so few people. On the other hand, rail transport can be used by everyone, especially the elderly, and is vital for regional economies. And getting bulk freight off our busy roads and onto rail will make the roads safer for cars and bikes. There are already plenty of safe places to ride bikes. Return the railway!
Zac hooper - 6 years ago
I'd like to see both passengers and freight.
John H - 6 years ago
There are arguments for and against on both sides. I live adjacent to the main Sydney / Melbourne line and the passenger service between the two cities is very poor, although relatively well patronised. Freight is constant, but nowhere as frequent as it should be judging by the amount of road traffic on the adjacent Olympic Highway.
Road transport as it stands presently will outdo rail on time, cost and flexibility every time, mainly due to the scaling back of rail infrastructure over the previous five decades.
In the past decade there has been a huge influx of people willing to participate in active recreation such as cycling, whilst at the same time, over 3,000 kilometres of mainly branch line rail corridors sit unused.
The opportunity to sell these lines has been realised by bean counters in Sydney as the land sits idle. It has little value to anyone except the farmer who has land astride the corridor and they already have access and use of it, so why would they pay market value for that land.
In the meantime, Rail Trails for NSW was formed by a group of people to raise awareness of the potential of utilising these areas as linear recreational venues where people could undertake non motorised recreational of many forms in an environment that was safe. At the same time, many communities could potentially benefit financially and socially from the economic benefits offered by such increased tourism. This is in line with the experience enjoyed by rail trail venues in other states and countries, where some communities have been total reinvigorated by the construction of a rail trail.
Rail Trails for NSW also realised the need to preserve these corridors for future possible return to their original use, rail services, also realising that modern rail services would possibly require realignment to be viable.
The opposition to the proposals has been staggering in its ferocity from a very small, but vocal group of opponents with varying agendas who choose to deny their communities the opportunity to benefit from the potential financial and social benefits offered by a rail trail.
Idiot Mills - 6 years ago
The corruption in the rail trail idea is rife. Aileen and Scot MacDonald are up to their eyeballs in dodginess!
Phil Snell - 6 years ago
Well having been a daily traveller on the Table Land Express dzily from Black Mountain to Armidale &return being for school with lots of other students for 4 years i wittnessed lots of passengerd every day so the train was very well patronised then & there is so mucj interest again now to see the train running as a daily passenger service sgain & all so light daily freight , the tourist train recently was a huge success Kootingal to Walcha Road & return & the associated trips .The recent Sydney Kandos trips awesome reports ,North of Armidale to Wallangarra &then link up with the Q.L.D.. Train is not out of reach either !
Ottley irwin - 6 years ago
Ask businesses along the corridor if they would use goods trains to transfer their freight as well, it's not just about putting passenger trains back on the line, get the trucks off the road.
Every poll taken regarding the Great Northern Railway sees a massive support for the return of rail services. Yet Armidale and Glen Innes councils ignore the wishes of so many of the electorate! Who do they actually represent, in that case? Certainly not the voters! This is a main arterial route right into the centre of Sydney that could easily link to the Inland Route and Brisbane. The bus "service" is totally inadequate and fails to service infirm and disabled people.
Bikes can be ridden anywhere on existing backroads, trails and paths. There is simply no need to rip up the rail line for a bike path. The rail line should be restored as it will bring great economic benefit to the region.
We should be using the rail lines for both passengers and freight/goods. A goods train can carry more than trucks and it would help reduce wear and tear on the roads as well as helping to reduce the chance of road accidents by taking trucks, buses, and other heavy vehicles off the road. Not to mention that if the rail lines are reopened, there would be employment created by the need to maintain the stations, tracks and trains needed to service those lines.
Reinstate both passenger and freight services, and make the line standard gauge all the way to Brisbane. This is far less costly than building/"up-grading" roads, not to mention environmental considerations. We recently drove from Queensland to Sydney, and noted the various "up-grades" and new constructions. The length and cost of these were noted on signs. Not one was less than $13,000,000 per kilometre. According to the Queensland government, rail costs about $2,000,000 per kilometre to construct. Moreover, a railway network provides not only more employment, but stimulates the local economies of the places with stations, and is far cheaper to maintain than motorways and highways.
Aileen MacDonald appears to be employed by the NIR to destroy the Great Northern Railway so that the NIR will have no competition and might just be able to repay the initial investment in less than 50 years. The NIR economic case shows that the whole NIR is uneconomic compare to other possibilities using and developing the GNR.
So which unelected political hack in the Nat$ will be the financial beneficiary of both Federal government funding, now about $700 MILLION, and any subsequent commercial use of this white elephant project?
Railway brings more tourism
For heavens sake get rid of this ridiculous debate! Nobody wants a bike trail, give us back our rail line for TRAINS not bikes for a few people.
I would use the rail line to get to Queensland. I use the rail to get to Sydney, I would use the rail to visit family in Brisbane and Gold Coast.
PLEASE USE SOME COMMON SENSE IN THIS MATTER ARMIDALE COUNCIL. LISTEN TO WHAT WE ARE SAYING!!!
The smell of corruption over this New England Rail Trail debacle is stifling! Clearly the majority of New England don't want this crap, yet Aileen MacDonald (who failed to be elected as a councillor of Armidale Regional Council) is somehow still a member of two Armidale Regional Council subcommittees and is pushing her rail trail agenda onto council and its ratepayers. Back off Aileen and shove your rail trail where the sun don't shine! Better still, Simon Murray, Mayor of Armidale Regional Council, should grow a pair and tell Aileen and her Liberal Party MP husband to rack off!
The New England region needs better public transport services including a train service not a silly bike track putting a burden on tax payers to construct and ratepayers to maintain. People north of Armidale to the border are forgotten about. The line north of armidale should be reactivated for both freight and passenger services and can connect with the inland rail at Toowoomba, it would provide jobs, growth, tourism and stimulate local economies while assisting in promoting local industries. Passenger Services could be provided in both directions to Sydney and to Toowoomba or Brisbane. There are plenty of tracks and trails in the national parks to utilise plus the national trail passes through the new England region.
How does anyone take that clown of a Guyra Bike Shop owner seriously? David Mills your a first rate twit.
Open up more direct routes! I am travelling to Dubbo in June, and to do this by rail is a two day trip with an overnight in Sydney! Dubbo is only 5 hours away by car and if I could drive then I would.
It is simply wrong to spend public money on bike tracks in remote areas that will be used by so few people. On the other hand, rail transport can be used by everyone, especially the elderly, and is vital for regional economies. And getting bulk freight off our busy roads and onto rail will make the roads safer for cars and bikes. There are already plenty of safe places to ride bikes. Return the railway!
I'd like to see both passengers and freight.
There are arguments for and against on both sides. I live adjacent to the main Sydney / Melbourne line and the passenger service between the two cities is very poor, although relatively well patronised. Freight is constant, but nowhere as frequent as it should be judging by the amount of road traffic on the adjacent Olympic Highway.
Road transport as it stands presently will outdo rail on time, cost and flexibility every time, mainly due to the scaling back of rail infrastructure over the previous five decades.
In the past decade there has been a huge influx of people willing to participate in active recreation such as cycling, whilst at the same time, over 3,000 kilometres of mainly branch line rail corridors sit unused.
The opportunity to sell these lines has been realised by bean counters in Sydney as the land sits idle. It has little value to anyone except the farmer who has land astride the corridor and they already have access and use of it, so why would they pay market value for that land.
In the meantime, Rail Trails for NSW was formed by a group of people to raise awareness of the potential of utilising these areas as linear recreational venues where people could undertake non motorised recreational of many forms in an environment that was safe. At the same time, many communities could potentially benefit financially and socially from the economic benefits offered by such increased tourism. This is in line with the experience enjoyed by rail trail venues in other states and countries, where some communities have been total reinvigorated by the construction of a rail trail.
Rail Trails for NSW also realised the need to preserve these corridors for future possible return to their original use, rail services, also realising that modern rail services would possibly require realignment to be viable.
The opposition to the proposals has been staggering in its ferocity from a very small, but vocal group of opponents with varying agendas who choose to deny their communities the opportunity to benefit from the potential financial and social benefits offered by a rail trail.
The corruption in the rail trail idea is rife. Aileen and Scot MacDonald are up to their eyeballs in dodginess!
Well having been a daily traveller on the Table Land Express dzily from Black Mountain to Armidale &return being for school with lots of other students for 4 years i wittnessed lots of passengerd every day so the train was very well patronised then & there is so mucj interest again now to see the train running as a daily passenger service sgain & all so light daily freight , the tourist train recently was a huge success Kootingal to Walcha Road & return & the associated trips .The recent Sydney Kandos trips awesome reports ,North of Armidale to Wallangarra &then link up with the Q.L.D.. Train is not out of reach either !
Ask businesses along the corridor if they would use goods trains to transfer their freight as well, it's not just about putting passenger trains back on the line, get the trucks off the road.