Call for Rail Supporters
Rail Line North of Armidale is Under threat from the Armidale Cuncil Plan for Rail Trail Again?
Please Gather in front of  Armidale Council Building
13th May 2024 (Monday)
2.30Pm

ARC Mayor Sam Coupland has listed a motion to overturn the decision taken by a majority of Councillors on 24th April 2024 seeking more comprehensive information about the cost of planned rail trail from Armidale to Ben Lomond, in particular the first stage from Armidale station to Dumaresq.  

Cr.  Dorothy Robinson who supported the amended motion in the last meeting has submitted a motion in support of the rail trail project proceeding with the timeline suggested by Public Works.  She has added a clause asking the council to "investigate" the practicality of constructing the rail trail without removing the rail line (what happens after the incvestigation?  Council will not be bound to build the rail trail as she wants.  The motion is very weak on this front)
Cr.  Robinson's change of heart can give those who support the rail trail a slight majority (6-5).

It is necessary to show that we do not support either the rescission motion by the Mayor or the second motion by Cr. Robinson.  We want the previous motion approved by a majority of COuncillors to stay and Council to provide the COmporehensive report about the costs so that we all can see the full extent of council funds to be committed to this short sighted project.

What we the rate payers in Armidale LG area and residents want is a responsible council that will not put further burdens on us because we are hurting from the 50% rate rise approved by IPART last year. Every time we see a rate notice, we get anxcious about how do I pay my rates bill along with all other bills?  How do I pay for my super market food ,electricity, water, telephone and fuel bills?  Even the fedferal government has recognised that Australians are hurting from cost of living.

If the rail trail plan is approved on Monday, Council will take a 30 year lease of the rail corridor and will be responsible for maintenance and operation costs with a huge burden on us. Already we know that it will cost $6M for the 30 year period(based on the $200,000 annual mantenance cost for the rail trails in Northern rivers).  Additionally another $1M has to be spent as Governance costs(costs for staff time etc. It is stated as 5% of the total cost of rail trail which is 21M).  Council has applied for a grant with a co-payment of another $1.8M. On top of this there are unknown costs such as for marketing and promotion.

Even if the motions are approved with the support of Cr.  Robinson, we will not be able to reap the stated benefits of the rail trail in the short to medium term.  According to Halliburton Report(2018), it will take 5 years after completion of the project to realise the estimated number of visitors and income i.e. over 9000 day visitors annually or over $5M income to the region.  Council will not get any income.  This means, if the project is completed in 2025 as planned, it will take until  2030 when the project will produce the intended results?

The more responsible approch is to restore and utilise our cherished northern railway line abandoned by successive governments for over 30 years for heritage,passenger and freight trains rather than claiming the choice is between the rail trail and black berries.  Real choice is between thousands of trucks on New England Highway polluting our environment, causing accidents and using tax payer funds in millions if not billions for roads repair annually or shifting the freight from trucks to rail as the federal government wants.

The rail corridor is not there to satisfy the desires of  a few cyclists, misinformed residents, and Rail Trails Australia agenda to convert regional rail lines(non operational) to bike tracks.  It is there for all demograpohics to use for better mobility and connectivity with fast growing Queensland in the North and cities in the South.

Many are hurting due to the lack of piublic transport between Armidale and Queensland.   Our daily coach service from Tenterfield to Armidale is not sufficient for the people to travel south as they have to spend few hours to come to Armidale and then sit in the train another 8 hours to Sydney.  Government and Council can do better to get us better transport.

Council can play a better advocacy role to address the issues faced by residents and rate payers in terms of public transport instead of repeating the slogan "trains will never return".  The minister for regional transport and roads, Hon.Jenny Aitchison  has never stated that trains will never return as claimed by Maria Hitchcock recently, What she has said is that the Government will start the process of preparing a Strategic Regional Integrated Transport plan for New England-Northwest later this year. TFNSW will consult stakeholders including the council to develop this plan. Isn't this the right time and space to propose a bike trail without removing the rail line so we can have the benefits of public transport and recreational trains?

The Bushfire grant of $5.4M was announced in 2021.  Since then, our council has failed to do the preliminary work for the bike trail project while Glen Innes Severn Council is far ahead. It received its funding offer at the same time. Instead, the Armidale Council plans to use $1.6M of the grant for "preliminary works"? It has not even completed satisfactory community consultations including discussions with land holders along the proposed rail trail yet?

So far the necessary paperwork in accordance with the NSW Rail Trail Framework have not been submitted.  When and if this happens it will take time for the minister responsible to prepare a regulation and present to the Parliament.  It will stay there for 5 more months.  Thus by the time a decision by NSW government and parliament cis made, it will be next Christmas! So, the start of  preliminary works, design and construction of the bike trail will have to be by a newly elected council rather than the present one.

Those who support the rail trail can only think about the rail trail -nothing else. They think the bike trail will bring thousands of visitors to the LG area and be the catalyst for starting new businesses, accommodation, events etc.  Armidale LG area already has many functional bike paths including from the town to UNE.  Where are the thousands of visitors or businesses springing up?   I can only see a few cuyclists.

What if this project fails? What will happen to the millions to be spent from rate payers money being paid as a result of the 50% rate rise?  We who support the restoration of rail line for rail services are happy for the council to build the bike trail without removing the rail line but it has to give an iron clad commitment to this end (not only investigate as Cr. Robinson wants).

This mayor and council need to look at better cutting edge projects for the region that can make a real difference to the people's quality of life -not cave into the demands of a narrow group of bike enthusiasts.

If the council goes ahead with the planned bike trail with the support of Cr.Robinson, without doubt residents and rate payers will have to remove those who support the fail trail at the next LG elections to be held in September 2024.