A new rail bridge has been positioned at West Tamworth, the first of four new bridges, as part of major works to reinstate the rail line between West Tamworth and Westdale.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Paul Toole, said the $35 million project to reinstate the line will ensure Tamworth has a strong and viable rail network that links into the Tamworth Regional Freight Terminal and provides connectivity through to Port Botany.
“Reinstating about 5km of rail line between West Tamworth and Westdale will be a game changer for the region, helping to increase productivity and improve competitiveness for producers in the region, connecting them to key markets,” Mr Toole said.
“We are investing in our rail infrastructure to meet growing freight demand, which we expect will increase 12 per cent to 286 million tonnes in regional NSW over the next 16 years.”
Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, said seeing the 8m bridge structure being put into place was a major milestone in the reinstatement of the 5km section of line to service the Tamworth Regional Freight Terminal.
“Four bridges varying in length between 4m and 106m will be installed as part of the project,” Mr Anderson said.
“In addition to the four bridges, the project includes the replacement of four culverts and the upgrading of level crossings at Gunnedah Road, Evans Street and Dampier Street, creating about one hundred jobs during construction.
“The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and will improve the efficient movement of freight and increase competitiveness of the freight industry into the coming decades.
“Projects like these will better connect our producer’s with markets across Australia and the world.”
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