20 Jun 2014: State Government can no longer ignore Sunny Coast Line duplication

[ozbob]

Media release 20th June 2014



State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community support group for rail and public transport, and an advocate for public transport passengers, says the state government risks an electoral backlash unless it commits funding to the Sunshine Coast Line duplication.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track, said:

"The Queensland Government must end its stonewalling on a decision to fund the Sunshine Coast Line (SCL) rail duplication to Nambour, with recent criticism emerging from within LNP party ranks that 'doing nothing is not an option'.

"Howard Hobbs, the chair of the parliamentary Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee, reached this conclusion about the Sunshine Coast Line and its congestion after tabling a damning report into the impact on the agricultural sector of a rail service that is shambolic, outdated, inefficient, unable to grow, is unreliable and also inflexible.  The committee found that the single-track railway between Beerburrum and Nambour is a major impediment, while a failure to invest in its duplication is hindering growth in the Queensland economy.

"The Hobbs Report comes just days after the LNP state government released its own Moving Freight strategy, which states that the capacity constraints and poor performance of the SCL and North Coast Line to Cairns is 'adversely influencing existing and potential freight customer's perceptions and/or preparedness to invest in rail freight growth opportunities'.  Furthermore, the LNP government's own report says that the competing interests of passenger and freight trains over this section of track represents a 'critical issue' for freight services in light of evidence that Queensland's freight moving task will double in 2026.  At the same time, the state aims to double the value of food production by 2040, with much of that produce likely to be moved by rail if transport efficiencies are to be captured.

"The single track SCL sees 42 per cent of all passenger services operated by buses because there is not enough capacity to run these services as trains, while meeting rail freight obligations. Before the last election, the LNP said it would be working with the community on the duplication issue.

"The Transport Minister, Scott Emerson, speaking on ABC local radio this week, said the best way that Queenslanders could afford a fix for the rail bottleneck affecting the transport needs communities right along the Queensland coast is to sell down state-owned assets.  Yet, he refused outright to say that any of the $1 billion freed up for rail infrastructure improvements would go to the SCL duplication, which a slew of government reports has identified as the crucial sticking point.

"On this matter, the government simply isn't listening.  Mr Hobbs' comments, coming from elements with the LNP representing the bush and regional Queensland, must be seen as a sign of unrest within the party itself about a lack of action.  All of the state government MPs on the Sunshine Coast, Peter Wellington (Independent), the mayors of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, and all major community groups have listed the Beerburrum-Nambour track duplication as one of the top infrastructure projects for the region.

"The problem will be exacerbated by government plans to push ahead with massive new housing developments at Caloundra South, Palmview and, increasingly likely, at Halls Creek.

"The Premier and his transport minister are living in a fool's paradise of cloud cuckoo land thinking if they believe LNP candidates can go to the next state election, due by June 2015, promising once again to do something about overcoming woeful congestion and inefficiency on the SCL.  The reality is they have been in power, yet chosen to sit on their hands for the best part of three years, doing nothing.  An electoral backlash is inevitable, as private LNP polling on the Sunshine Coast indicates.

"Well, now the calls are coming from within – 'doing nothing is not an option'.  It is more serious than that, however.  In the face of comprehensive recommendations made in a considerable number of government-commissioned and endorsed reports, the government knows it is harming the economy by not fixing this problem.  What government that proclaims to be a champion of free enterprise and business supporting jobs does that?"

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


Reference:

1.  The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.0

[ozbob]

Discussion --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.msg143333#msg143333

[Stillwater]

 

[Fares_Fair]

 

[ozbob]

 

[aldonius]

C-C-C-Combo Breaker! 

     

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th July 2015 re-sent 8th August 2015

State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

Good Morning,

The Premier will again be making requests for funding assistance for public transport from the Prime Minister.  Good luck with that.

An important project is the upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line.  This line is a major freight corridor as well as a passenger line.

Funding an upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line is something that the present Federal Government could well find is in its ' knitting '.

We request the Premier of Queensland to also request funding for the Sunshine Coast Line upgrade.  Gold Coast Light Rail stage 2 is a significant project but there are PPP funding opportunities for that project.

The Newman Government failed.  Who is next?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 20th June 2014



State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community support group for rail and public transport, and an advocate for public transport passengers, says the state government risks an electoral backlash unless it commits funding to the Sunshine Coast Line duplication.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track, said:

"The Queensland Government must end its stonewalling on a decision to fund the Sunshine Coast Line (SCL) rail duplication to Nambour, with recent criticism emerging from within LNP party ranks that 'doing nothing is not an option'.

"Howard Hobbs, the chair of the parliamentary Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee, reached this conclusion about the Sunshine Coast Line and its congestion after tabling a damning report into the impact on the agricultural sector of a rail service that is shambolic, outdated, inefficient, unable to grow, is unreliable and also inflexible.  The committee found that the single-track railway between Beerburrum and Nambour is a major impediment, while a failure to invest in its duplication is hindering growth in the Queensland economy.

"The Hobbs Report comes just days after the LNP state government released its own Moving Freight strategy, which states that the capacity constraints and poor performance of the SCL and North Coast Line to Cairns is 'adversely influencing existing and potential freight customer's perceptions and/or preparedness to invest in rail freight growth opportunities'.  Furthermore, the LNP government's own report says that the competing interests of passenger and freight trains over this section of track represents a 'critical issue' for freight services in light of evidence that Queensland's freight moving task will double in 2026.  At the same time, the state aims to double the value of food production by 2040, with much of that produce likely to be moved by rail if transport efficiencies are to be captured.

"The single track SCL sees 42 per cent of all passenger services operated by buses because there is not enough capacity to run these services as trains, while meeting rail freight obligations. Before the last election, the LNP said it would be working with the community on the duplication issue.

"The Transport Minister, Scott Emerson, speaking on ABC local radio this week, said the best way that Queenslanders could afford a fix for the rail bottleneck affecting the transport needs communities right along the Queensland coast is to sell down state-owned assets.  Yet, he refused outright to say that any of the $1 billion freed up for rail infrastructure improvements would go to the SCL duplication, which a slew of government reports has identified as the crucial sticking point.

"On this matter, the government simply isn't listening.  Mr Hobbs' comments, coming from elements with the LNP representing the bush and regional Queensland, must be seen as a sign of unrest within the party itself about a lack of action.  All of the state government MPs on the Sunshine Coast, Peter Wellington (Independent), the mayors of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, and all major community groups have listed the Beerburrum-Nambour track duplication as one of the top infrastructure projects for the region.

"The problem will be exacerbated by government plans to push ahead with massive new housing developments at Caloundra South, Palmview and, increasingly likely, at Halls Creek.

"The Premier and his transport minister are living in a fool's paradise of cloud cuckoo land thinking if they believe LNP candidates can go to the next state election, due by June 2015, promising once again to do something about overcoming woeful congestion and inefficiency on the SCL.  The reality is they have been in power, yet chosen to sit on their hands for the best part of three years, doing nothing.  An electoral backlash is inevitable, as private LNP polling on the Sunshine Coast indicates.

"Well, now the calls are coming from within – 'doing nothing is not an option'.  It is more serious than that, however.  In the face of comprehensive recommendations made in a considerable number of government-commissioned and endorsed reports, the government knows it is harming the economy by not fixing this problem.  What government that proclaims to be a champion of free enterprise and business supporting jobs does that?"

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


Reference:

1.  The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.0

[ozbob]

Discussion --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.msg158827#msg158827

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

10th August 2015

Re: State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

Good Morning,

On the TMR website viz., http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Rail/Rail-infrastructure-upgrades-in-south-east-Queensland/Sunshine-Coast-and-Caboolture-lines.aspx

With respect to the Beerburrum to Landsborough Rail Upgrade appears the following:

" In October 2013 the Queensland Government made a submission to seek a Federal Government funding contribution to the Beerburrum to Landsborough Rail Upgrade project.

The project will straighten and duplicate this 17 km section of line, and will benefit both passenger and freight services. "

Nearly two years have elapsed.  Has there been any response to this submission?  The upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line is needed urgently.  Does anyone know what is happening?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Sent to all outlets:

17th July 2015 re-sent 8th August 2015

State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

Good Morning,

The Premier will again be making requests for funding assistance for public transport from the Prime Minister.  Good luck with that.

An important project is the upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line.  This line is a major freight corridor as well as a passenger line.

Funding an upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line is something that the present Federal Government could well find is in its ' knitting '.

We request the Premier of Queensland to also request funding for the Sunshine Coast Line upgrade.  Gold Coast Light Rail stage 2 is a significant project but there are PPP funding opportunities for that project.

The Newman Government failed.  Who is next?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 20th June 2014



State Government can no longer ignore Sunshine Coast Line duplication

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community support group for rail and public transport, and an advocate for public transport passengers, says the state government risks an electoral backlash unless it commits funding to the Sunshine Coast Line duplication.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track, said:

"The Queensland Government must end its stonewalling on a decision to fund the Sunshine Coast Line (SCL) rail duplication to Nambour, with recent criticism emerging from within LNP party ranks that 'doing nothing is not an option'.

"Howard Hobbs, the chair of the parliamentary Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee, reached this conclusion about the Sunshine Coast Line and its congestion after tabling a damning report into the impact on the agricultural sector of a rail service that is shambolic, outdated, inefficient, unable to grow, is unreliable and also inflexible.  The committee found that the single-track railway between Beerburrum and Nambour is a major impediment, while a failure to invest in its duplication is hindering growth in the Queensland economy.

"The Hobbs Report comes just days after the LNP state government released its own Moving Freight strategy, which states that the capacity constraints and poor performance of the SCL and North Coast Line to Cairns is 'adversely influencing existing and potential freight customer's perceptions and/or preparedness to invest in rail freight growth opportunities'.  Furthermore, the LNP government's own report says that the competing interests of passenger and freight trains over this section of track represents a 'critical issue' for freight services in light of evidence that Queensland's freight moving task will double in 2026.  At the same time, the state aims to double the value of food production by 2040, with much of that produce likely to be moved by rail if transport efficiencies are to be captured.

"The single track SCL sees 42 per cent of all passenger services operated by buses because there is not enough capacity to run these services as trains, while meeting rail freight obligations. Before the last election, the LNP said it would be working with the community on the duplication issue.

"The Transport Minister, Scott Emerson, speaking on ABC local radio this week, said the best way that Queenslanders could afford a fix for the rail bottleneck affecting the transport needs communities right along the Queensland coast is to sell down state-owned assets.  Yet, he refused outright to say that any of the $1 billion freed up for rail infrastructure improvements would go to the SCL duplication, which a slew of government reports has identified as the crucial sticking point.

"On this matter, the government simply isn't listening.  Mr Hobbs' comments, coming from elements with the LNP representing the bush and regional Queensland, must be seen as a sign of unrest within the party itself about a lack of action.  All of the state government MPs on the Sunshine Coast, Peter Wellington (Independent), the mayors of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, and all major community groups have listed the Beerburrum-Nambour track duplication as one of the top infrastructure projects for the region.

"The problem will be exacerbated by government plans to push ahead with massive new housing developments at Caloundra South, Palmview and, increasingly likely, at Halls Creek.

"The Premier and his transport minister are living in a fool's paradise of cloud cuckoo land thinking if they believe LNP candidates can go to the next state election, due by June 2015, promising once again to do something about overcoming woeful congestion and inefficiency on the SCL.  The reality is they have been in power, yet chosen to sit on their hands for the best part of three years, doing nothing.  An electoral backlash is inevitable, as private LNP polling on the Sunshine Coast indicates.

"Well, now the calls are coming from within – 'doing nothing is not an option'.  It is more serious than that, however.  In the face of comprehensive recommendations made in a considerable number of government-commissioned and endorsed reports, the government knows it is harming the economy by not fixing this problem.  What government that proclaims to be a champion of free enterprise and business supporting jobs does that?"

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


Reference:

1.  The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.0

[ozbob]

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Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 43s

Govt can no longer ignore Sunny Coast Line duplication

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