Rail infrastructure in regional NSW has received a funding boost with an extra $15 million allocated for ten pilot projects to improve the state’s rail freight network on top of the $400 million Fixing Country Rail program.
“The NSW Government is determined to shift more bulk freight onto railway lines to ensure we get produce from paddocks to ports as quickly and efficiently as possible,” New South Wales Minister for Freight Duncan Gay said.
“The freight transport network is the backbone of country NSW and we need to improve its efficiency to take more freight off our local and regional roads – a massive win for regional communities, economies and the state’s producers.”
$14 million will be invested across six projects to receive Fixing Country Rail pilot funding:
- $5 million towards the reinstatement of 56km of the Maimuru to Demondrille railway line
- $3 million for rail siding extension at Hillston to help service a major grain receival site
- $2 million for the reinstatement of a 2.8km section of the Moree to Inverell railway line at Moree
- $1.5 million for rail siding extension at Barellan to help service a major grain receival site
- $1.5 million for rail siding extension at Burren Junction to help service a major grain receival site
- $1 million for upgrading rail siding at the Canberra Railway Freight Terminal (Fyshwick)
A further $1 million will be invested in detailed planning and design:
- A new turnout (allowing trains to turn off the main track onto a siding) at the centre of Dunmore Loop at Shellharbour
- A new turnout at Unanderra
- A new crossing loop near Tarago
- The reinstatement of the non-operational line from West Tamworth to Westdale
Since March 2011, the NSW Government has invested more than $1 billion in the operation, maintenance and upgrading of the country regional network which comprises of 2,386km of operational railway lines.
Funding for the ten pilot projects will be allocated to Transport for NSW as the network owner for the country regional network and metropolitan rail network.
