Dear Rail supporter,

A Bill to amend the TAA -1988 in order to facilitate the construction of rail trails (Cycle tracks) and roads on non-operational rail corridors in non-metropolitan areas was introduced by Minister Sam Farraway to the upper house on 21st of June, 2022.  He also presented a Statement of Public interest.  Please take time to read and understand the contents and the intent. Both the documents can be accessed via this link: 

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3985

In the Public Interest statement, purpose of the Bill is stated as 1) authorise temporary re-purposing of all or part of a non-operational railway corridor in non-metropolitan areas and 2) allow for the removal of tracks and other works from non-operational corridors required for transport infrastructure proposals.(by the second it means road transport i.e. it can be a bypass or a road crossing the rail line.No where rail line construction is mentioned)?

Net effect of the bill is to exclude the rail services from rail corridors.  This will have far reaching consequences for regional rail in NSW compared to other states like Victoria(spends over 4 billion for regional rail renewal) and Queensland(spends large sums on light rail extensions and fast rail)

This Bill needs to be defeated or referred to a parliamentary inquiry.  However, I am not sure if a majority in the upper house will oppose it in ? Unless the Labor opposes the Bill, there is little likelihood it being defeated. In that case, proposing amendments will be the other optionm for the MLCS not in the government. Please contact Labor,Greens, otherm minor party and independent  MLCs (and MPs) to propose amendments requesting the government  to make sure that the capacity of the government, private sector companies and community groups who want to run tourist/heritage trains for initiating future rail services in non-meropolitan areas not be affected as a result of any action taken to use non-operational rail lines form recreational,tourism or road construction purposes.

Ask them to refer this Bill to an inquiry so that we all can make submissions expressing our views.  After all the Statement of public interest make references to community consultations.  So far the Minister and relevant departments have consulted MPs and MLCs in whose electorates there are plans or projects to build recreational/tourism related infrastructure e.g. rail trails. This is not good enough.  Broader comunity should be involved in making such a crucial change giving more power to the minister to determine temporary use of non-operational rail lines iup to 30 years.

There is the following committee in Legislative Assembly.  You can ask it to open an inquiry in the next session of parliament starting on August 9th.

Legislative Assembly Committee on Transport and Infrastructure
Parliament of New South Wales 
 
P +61 2 9230 2312
E transportinfrastructure@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.parliament.nsw.gov.au

Ask the Minister Farraway, whether this Bill means that the current NSW government does not have plans to introduce new rail services in non-metropolitan areas for the next 30 years?  In fact if you lookat the NSW Government plans for regional development and regional transport this is the case.

If this passes, it will be a regressive measure in terms of regional growth,public transport, other rail services in the non-metropolitan areas.  This is the time to take personal action to defeat it,significvantly amend  or to get the MLCs to refer it to an inquiry.