Our roads are overloaded and damaged. There are too many trucks and too many road accidents. Traffic congestion is growing fast as tourists pour into our region and our population is constantly increasing. Carbon emissions from transport are growing and are currently 22% of our emissions. Trains could cut that by 60% and provide a vital community service.

We need to let Local, State and Federal governments know we want trains on the Casino, Lismore, Byron to Murwillumbah track as soon as possible. We have spoken to thousands of people over the past decade and submitted 10,000 signatures to parliament from the public, asking to retain the tracks and return Rail Services. We were ignored and sections of the line have been ripped up for a bike path/rail trail.

The public have been misled in regards to the condition of the railway line and costs required to reinstall Rail. Repairs to the railway tracks by Byron Solar train cost only $500,000 per km in 2019 instead of $7 million per km as in the 2013 report by the Liberal State government.

Rail services on the Casino to Murwillumbah rail line also addresses the urgent issue of climate change action. Mass transport and rail are the most efficient and safe means of travel.  All across the world nations are turning to rail as the most equitable and sustainable mode of transport.