Logistics News

Re-open Bunbury rail link: Travers

WA Labor calls on the Barnett Government to re-open the rail link between Bunbury and the Wheatbelt

January 20, 2011

WA Labor has called on the Barnett Government to re-open the rail link between Bunbury and the Wheatbelt to allow grain exports to recommence from Bunbury Port.

Shadow Transport Minister Ken Travers says it has been revealed that Bunbury Port is in negotiations with two grain exporters to export a combined total of two million tonnes of grain product through the port.

“The existing transport infrastructure will not support the export of this amount of grain through Bunbury,” he says.

“The export of two million tonnes of grain product will result in around 85,000 additional truck movements a year, or an average of 232 per day, creating bumper to bumper traffic during peak periods.

“Hundreds of millions of dollars will need to be invested to cope with the additional pressure on the Collie Coalfields Highway, which is currently the major transport link between Bunbury and the Wheatbelt.”

Travers says there were originally three rail lines connecting Bunbury to the Wheatbelt,
Bunbury to Wagin (via Collie), Bunbury to Narrogin (via Collie) and Bunbury to Katanning (via Donnybrook).

“The Barnett Government should cancel the feasibility study into a new rail link between Kwinana and Merredin and use the funding to investigate reopening one of the original rail links between Bunbury and Merredin,” he says.

“The Kwinana to Merredin proposal does nothing to develop regional WA and adds further pressure to the already congested Kwinana area.

“A Bunbury to Merredin rail link could be used for grain and eventually be upgraded to handle the expected growth in container traffic, supporting Bunbury Port’s long held desire to become a container terminal.

“Developing a new rail line from Kwinana would cut private properties in half and seriously impact on the efficient operation of many farms.

“Reopening one of the old rail lines is a lot more sensible, will promote regional development and have less impact on people’s private property.”

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