Media release - Sat 12th Dec 2009  

Qld is moving with new railway station while NSW stalls

On Monday 14th, Qld rail will be 4.1 km closer to the Qld-NSW border with the opening of a new railway station Varsity Lakes. (http://www.qr.com.au/SEQIP/projects/VarsityLakes/default.asp)

"Qld is moving while NSW stalls.  With the extra 4.1 km of rail, 7000 car trips per day will be avoided." said Karin Kolbe, President of TOOT

[Source:  Consultant's report  by Parsons Brinkerhoff (page 9): "It is estimated that the railway extension could remove about 7,000 daily car trips in 2011 from the road network which parallels the Gold Coast to Brisbane railway line. This is equivalent to approximately 9% of the projected year 2011 Pacific Motorway volume south of Robina."]

"We call on the new premier of NSW Kristina Keneally to make good her promise of 'building the best transport systems... in Australia' made last week," said Ms Kolbe

"We'd like to her to start by formally withdrawing the legislation that would sell off our rail corridors. Despite the community outrage over the proposed legislation, the legislation is still there."
"Our rail line already exists - the land and stations are in place, it simply needs some maintenance. For about a quarter of the cost of the new  4.1 km line, we could have our entire 132km line from Casino to Murwillumbah functioning again," said Ms Kolbe

[Source: SEQ Infrastructure Plan 2007 Robina-Varsity Lakes (4.1kms)to cost $320m while we estimate our line to be aprox $60mil based on 2004 PWC report which stated $30 mil needed]


"Looking after existing assets is sensible management," said Ms Kolbe.


CONTACT
Karin Kolbe 0411 594 599