Dear friends,

The election on coming Saturday (14th September) is watershed moment in our campaign to oppose the removal of rail line north of Armidale and secure train services to fast growing region of SE Queensland.

If the current leadership of former mayor Sam Coupland his Group D successful in securing a majority, the rail line will be removed to build a bike trail in the rail corridor.  Any prospect of reactivating the rail line (after it is gone) will be much harder not only because of extra cost of rebuilding it but also lack of support from the council for the reactivation of rail line.

I decided to stand for the council elections as a member of Group E (Community First Independents) partly because of my desire to work with other councillors to look for a compromise solution to this vexed problem. We cannot divide the community anymore between those who support a rail trail in the rail corridor and rail services.  We need to bring the two competing sectors together.

The only way this can be achieved is by electing a council that will seriously examine the possibility and cost of building a rail trail on the side of the existing rail line (off formation).  This has been done elsewhere e.g. Parramatta to Carlingford bike trail on the side of light rail, Grafton near the station.

I hope you will give your support to Group E and finding a solution to the rail trail vs trains issue acceptable to both sides.

Mayor Coupland's council has only been adopting a "my way or highway" approach to this issue.  We cannot afford another term by Group D.

Exercise your vote very carefully.

(Authorised by Rob Taber. 684 Dangarsleigh road Armidale NSW 2350)