The Australasian Railway Association has unveiled isues from which it plans to rate candidates in the upcoming NSW state election
The state’s rail industry has called on political parties of all colours and stripes to commit funding toward critical rail infrastructure as part of their pitches for votes in the New South Wales election.
The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) says its seven “key election platforms” identifies the sector’s most pressing priorities, across both passenger and freight networks.
They are:
- Urban heavy passenger rail, including a second harbour rail crossing and new stations in Sydney
- Light rail, primarily through the construction of the existing Western Sydney light rail project
- Regional passenger rail, including increased investment in track infrastructure and rolling stock
- Regional freight rail, including connection of the NSW regional rail network to the Inland Rail project
- Short-haul freight rail, including duplication of the Port Botany rail line
- Improving services, including upgrading of rolling stock and investment in new technologies
- Infrastructure investment, with a view to getting more value from both public and private investments in rail.
ARA CEO Brian Nye says the platforms are all equal in terms of importance, but the group is particularly pushing the regional freight rail because it is so easily left out of the policy debate.
“Regional [rail] is just as important to the economy of NSW as urban transport,” he says, noting that integration to the federally-managed Inland Rail project should be a priority for the incoming transport minister.