In this month meeting of Glen Innes Severn Council, councillors are to discuss alternative ways to construct a rail trail within and outside the rail corridor.

I had a look at the Officers comments about Cr. David Scott's motion to be considered by Glen Innes Severn Council on 28th May.  Under 4, officer says rail plus trail is uncommon. Not so. Examples are Parramatta to Liverpool,Liverpool to Glenfield, Parra matta to Carlingford,  Oberon to Hazelwood. More in Victoria. I can provide examples. Officer says rail with trail assumes rail will return but the state govt has said this is not so in the Draft Regional Transport plan for New England northwest under preparatiin by tfnsw. Officer is extrapolating from a statement in draft regional transport plan to justify on formation building of rail trail, it appears? Yet it is not a finalised plan. After govt decision to terminate Inland rail at Parkes,situation has changed. Officer castes doubt about heritage trains also. Is he not aware of NERi plans for a passenger,freight and heritage train from Armidale to Llangothlin? There is an advanced heritage train proposal by New England Railway Inc(NERi) and Northern Regional Railway company(see NRRC website for updates) . They are to apply for a license and at present  collecting letters of support 5.a) if the council has done cost benefit analysis of alternative ways to build rail trail without removing the rail line, where are the results? Why are they not disclosed to council?Glen Innes Severn Council has failed miserably to Investigate alternative options by recognised transport consultants even after this was required after 2024 council resolution. 6.clarify the strategic status of the corridor. Officer again quotes from the draft regional transport plan assuming that it is a definitive statement! Mayor Margo Davis wrote to the minister this year seeking clarifications. Did she get a reply? NSW govt is still seeking submissions about the draft plan cited by the officer. It is a plan in the making. Some parts can change after further consultations. A meeting is to be held on June 3rd in Glen Innes. Another in Tamworth on June 2nd. The key point is whether this is the time to close the door to businesses and community groups to operate trains in the corridor and give a lease to the council to use it for a recreational project at great risk to other economic and recreational activities?_"Margo wrote to the minister seeking clarifications. Did she get a reply?"_ Matthew Tierney,President of Trains North says, We don't really want our Councils continuing to write to the NSW Government asking for clarification of their intentions for the railway.  They have done that several times and the same answer has been recycled over and over with no new investigation since 2006.  We want them to follow the example of the Mid Western Regional Council, centred on Mudgee, and to ask governments state and federal to give serious consideration to the potential of the Main North Line and to commence a proper appraisal, not a perfunctory dismissal.
But let's hope that Councillor Scot's motion gains some support at Glen Innes.  Notwithstanding my reservations about off-formation construction, this initiative could be a first step towards a new way of thinking among our local government representatives.