Calling all rail supporters to Sign the paper petition Opposing Rail Trail Proposed by ARC
Dear Train supporters,
Armidale Regional Council has placed 11 documents related to its plan for a rail trail in the rail corridor between Armidale and Ben Lomond on public display asking residents to send submissions by October 27th 2026. You can access these documents by visiting the Have your Say Rail Trail website.
https://yoursay.armidale.nsw.gov.au/new-england-rail-trail
Community Consultation results released by the council early this year showed that 84.5% of respondents support the rail trail. However, to get this result, council added responses not only within the LG area but also those from outside and without an address.
Such infrastructure projects costing 21 million should be determined by the residents and rate payers in the LG area more than those from outside. Moreover the submissions should be clearly labelled with an address so that the origin of the submission can be determined and verified.
What we need is better connectivity of our LG area with population centres to the north and south. Rail link is our second most important link(other than new England highway) that connects New England with Queensland. Though it has been dormant for over 3 decades, the council should be advocating for a better transport investment from the NSW government and ask to re-open the line rather than pursue its removal for a non essential recreational project. Rail trail is a lower hanging fruit. However councils should be working on long term visions priorities for the region so that we all benefit including our next generations.
Here is your opportunity to express opposition to this short sighted rail trail plan. Please print out the relevant petition(within Armidale LG area or Outside) and sign it. If you know any others who share the same view ask them to sign too.
We ought to show the NSW government aht there are many,many residents and rate payers who do not approve this rail trail project for a range of reasons. I encourage you to write to Minister Tara Moriarty and her department division dealing with policy and assessment later this month or early next monthand express your views. I will provide contact details in another update.
The return address is included in the petitions. It would help if you can return signed petitions by November 10th 2026.
- Petition for those in the Armidale Local Government area: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HHFQBMNvvefKNXt_Fcxvs_OQFyEdpuYU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117628476080679757648&rtpof=true&sd=true
2. Petition for those outside the Armidale LG area: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QYTI2h4IfH94cWVjLkLG4VqOlgsIy51K/view?usp=sharing
With regards,
Siri Gamage
Regional Rail advocate.
Email: siri.gamage1951@gmail.com