GEORGE HERALD daily ‘Rail-to-Trail’

George is the district capital of The Garden Route, where rivers and lakes lie between forested mountains and beautiful bathing beaches; a haven for locals and tourists alike.

A concession to restore the rail line, abandoned for the past seventeen years, or to allow the corridor to become the start of a much needed Trail-to-Trail facility, is about to be awarded. 

IT IS A MAJOR DECISION

This is a critical turning point in the fortunes of this region and deserves careful consideration. It coincides this month with a most important general election to decide South Africa’s fortunes in the next five years. 

As the concession will be valid for 25 years, it will have far greater consequences for this region. 

 This petition has attracted enthusiastic support. The Press has been objective and keen to publish the Rail-to-Trail proposal, as can be seen by this latest local coverage. 

I am aware of only one report in favour of the revival of the rail line. It emphasised the tourist value of the steam train, attracting overseas visitors to ride from Knysna to Mossel Bay via George. 

Note that for the past seventeen years the steam train has quietly plied the George / Mossel Bay stretch from time to time. It could continue doing that or consider being the centre of attraction in an exclusive Steam Park at Groenvlei. The past seventeen years suggest that it’s costly return to this beautiful stretch cannot be justified.

Walkers, runners and cyclists of every description will make full use of the delightful car-free passage on every moment of every day, reaping the benefits of physical exercise, generating new enterprises with a variety of new jobs while combatting global warming. A fabulous new and lasting benefit for everyone.

John Stegmann     9 May 2027