COOTAMUNDRA RAIL PROJECTS SHORTLISTED FOR $150M BOOST

December 6, 2017

Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke MP, today announced that five local projects are among 27 shortlisted for funding in the next stage of the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Rail infrastructure program.

The Temora to Calleen Line upgrade has been approved to submit a full application. 

The project proposes upgrading the line between Temora and Calleen to allow heavier trains of up to 23 tonne axle loads (TAL) and faster speeds of up to 80km/hr.

Projects to upgrade the line between Junee and Griffith and construct a new siding at Temora West have been approved to submit a full application.

The proposal to upgrade the Junee to Griffith main line would allow heavier trains with up to 23 tonne axle loads to use it.

A siding upgrade at Milvale, extending the current siding from 700 metres to 1600 metres, proposed by GrainCorp, has been approved to submit a full application.

And the Harefield siding extension submitted by Qube Logistics has also been approved to submit a full application. This proposal includes extending the existing siding from 600 metres to 1200 metres, along with signaling and level crossing works.

These proposals would cut delivery times and allow more goods to be transported by rail, reducing costs for both producers and consumers.

“This is great news for our area and means these proposals are in line to potentially share in $150 million in funding,” Ms Cooke said. 

Fixing Country Rail is designed for both small and large projects that will provide productivity and efficiency benefits that reduce the cost to market for the movement of freight in regional NSW. 

“Transport costs can make up a third of the price of goods sold by regional producers harvesting grain, cotton, citrus, meat or other commodities and moving them to market,” Ms Cooke said.

“The NSW Government has reserved up to $400 million in Restart NSW funding for the Fixing Country Rail program over multiple rounds as part of the Rebuilding NSW State Infrastructure Strategy 2014.”

In August, a Technical Panel reviewed expressions of interest received from industry, operators and network owners, developing a shortlist of recommended infrastructure upgrade projects to advance to the development phase.

The Regional Independent Assessment Panel, led by Infrastructure NSW, then considered and reviewed those recommendations before finalising a shortlist of projects.

Ms Cooke said regional NSW produces around 210 million tonnes of freight a year, with freight volume expected to increase by 25 per cent over the next 40 years.

“Economic growth in rural areas relies on agricultural commodities, industrial products and natural resources being able to move to market efficiently,” Ms Cooke said.

The Fixing Country Rail program complements the successful Fixing Country Roads initiative, with both focusing on improving freight infrastructure and efficiency across the state.

The NSW Government has set aside more than $1 billion for regional road and rail projects under its Fixing Country Roads, Fixing Country Rail and Bridges for the Bush programs.