Statement about the cost for Restoring Nortehrn Railway Line between Armidale and Wallangarra

NRRC is deeply concerned by statements being made by the New England Rail Trail and two councils with regards to the cost of restoring the railway north of Armidale. Whilst we would prefer not to make this political, we feel a need to address the absolute lies being told.
We note a figure of $1.5 Billion being brandied around as the cost to reopen the line between Armidale and Tenterfield. As best we can tell the figure appears to be based on the cost per kilometre of the Inland Rail.
It is important to note that this does not equate. The inland rail involves substantial land acquisitions, building on flood plains, and tunnelling. The majority of the Inland Rail is also green field site. An analysis of the Inland Rail costing is that the cost to upgrade existing lines being used as part of this project averages around $1.3 million per kilometre. This track however is being upgraded to a standard that would accommodate some of the heaviest freight trains to run in Australia.
A desk top analysis that we undertook with two major railway project management companies prior to applying for access licences to undertake on site studies showed the average cost to restore the line between Armidale and Glen Innes to be less than $1 million per kilometre. The average cost of Glen Innes to Wallangarra is around $1.2 million. This is taking into consideration the line being able to take the same weight of trains that the line to Armidale can accommodate, and also allows for passenger train speeds of up to 140km/h in appropriate sections.
It should also be noted that the initial investment of getting the line up to the above standard would mean that over a 25 year period there would be minimal ongoing cost to the NSW taxpayer, and zero cost to ratepayers in the impacted council areas.
The Rural Health Inquiry showed that many people are missing out on quality health care due to lack of access to public transport. There is also mounting evidence of increasing mental health issues in rural NSW due to lack of access to socialisation, and an inability to access primary mental health services.
The cost of rebuilding a railway line needs to take into account the environment and social benefits to society. People living in rural areas have just as much right to public transport as people in major centres and capital cities do.
It is reprehensible that a people are making up stories to feed their own selfish needs. It is further very concerning that locally elected members have not bothered to undertake due diligence before committing rate payer funds to a major project that has not been adequately costed, and where the alternative is presented in a manner designed to mislead.
It should be noted that NRRC is not against rail trails. There are lines in NSW that will never reopen, or where it will be at least 25 years before they become viable again. We are however concerned with why lines that would hold substantial value to the local communities are being targeted.

(Northern Regional Railway Company Inc)