Northern Rivers Railway Action Group AGM and General Meeting

We would like to invite you to our Annual General Meeting on the 18th July, 2022, 5.30pm at the Lismore Workers Sports Club, Oliver Ave Goonellabah. Following that we’ll have a general meeting to discuss the current situation facing our railway line. Railway tracks on the Casino to Murwillumbah line have been ripped up but all is not lost. We still have Bentley to Yelgun, with 98 kms of track still intact.

There are several railway companies prepared to bring rail services back to the Northern Rivers Line. We’ll be telling you more about that on the day.

Up until now all regional railway lines have been protected by the need for Parliament to OK any closure of lines. The NSW government is planning to give control to one Minister to allow any regional railway lines that aren’t currently running services to have tracks removed. This will mean ‘rail trails’ can take over all these lines in NSW.

Our region is renowned as a major tourism destination. Byron Bay has a population of only 9,250, yet in 2019 it received 2.4 million visitors. Every day, Ewingsdale Road experiences heavy traffic congestion with a 2019 average of 22,500 vehicles per day. We all know how bad the traffic is and it will only get worse without the return of rail.

A team of professionals have been working on a Business Plan beginning with a regular train service from Byron to Mullumbimby. More about this to be explained at the meeting.

It is essential that we keep our railway line safe by demanding that our politicians refuse to support the proposed, new legislation.

Please write to MPs and MLCs in NSW parliament objecting to this change sought by TFNSW without delay.  Ask them to refer this Bill to an inquiry so that we all can make submissions expressing our views.  It is time that our community had proper consultation on this important issue.

There is the following committee in Legislative Assembly.  You can ask it to open an inquiry in the next session of parliament starting on August 9th.
Legislative Assembly Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Parliament of New South Wales  P +61 2 9230 2312 E transportinfrastructure@parliament.nsw.gov.au  www.parliament.nsw.gov.au

Please contact these MPs –

Sam Farraway, Minister for Regional Transport Email:  sam.farraway@parliament.nsw.gov.au or 92302286

Jenny Aitchison Shadow Minister for Regional Transport Phone: 02 4933 1617

Email: maitland@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Janelle Saffin, Labor MP for Lismore –  Phone: 02 66213624,  Email:  lismore@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Your attendance at the AGM would be warmly appreciated and nominations for positions on the committee would be very welcome. Please call me to discuss how you can help.

Beth Shelley

0423 030 346