Statement: Train transport package a win for rural Queensland

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/5/16/train-transport-package-a-win-for-rural-queensland

JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The Honourable John McVeigh

Train transport package a win for rural Queensland

The Newman Government will deliver a major win for Queensland farmers with a significant investment in rail infrastructure on the Darling Downs.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh said up to $50 million in savings would be reinvested in additional passing loops across the Toowoomba Range.

"This will transform the way crops are transported from the Darling Downs," Mr Emerson said.

"It is a fabulous win for our grain and cotton producers as it will provide the most significant increase in train paths in decades and meet the future needs of farmers right across south-west Queensland."

Mr McVeigh said the infrastructure would be delivered from savings negotiated from existing freight contracts over the next two years.

"Up to 20 additional train paths per week will be made available for farmers to get crops off road and on to rail and double the current capacity," Mr McVeigh said.

"Toowoomba is already a freight gateway for western Queensland and this will allow us to get the balance right between road and rail."

Mr Emerson said the infrastructure investment was the second major step in the Newman Government's agricultural freight strategy to improve rail access for rural Queensland, following confirmation the trial of additional cattle services between Winton and Brisbane, and Cloncurry and Brisbane would be made permanent.

"This year we'll be contracting 325 regional cattle train services – an increase of 48 services, or 17 per cent," he said.

"We've listened to regional Queenslanders who tell us these services are crucial for the cattle industry which is currently in need of support from right across Queensland."

Winton will now have three cattle services and Cloncurry two per week – up to 968 extra head of cattle being transported on rail or the equivalent of removing about 15 B-double heavy vehicles from our highways.

The strategy to deliver better rail freight is part of the Newman Government's agricultural and freight strategy, as part of the Queensland's four pillar economy.

[ENDS] 16 May 2013

[ozbob]

 

[minbrisbane]

I wonder where they'll fit the new loops. 

[ozbob]

I wonder where they'll fit the new loops.

Possibly new passing loops at Harlaxton, Ballard, Toowoomba and between Holmes and Murphy's Creek.

Source: QR 2009 Coal Rail Infrastructure Master Plan  http://www.ncc.gov.au/images/uploads/DERaQRAp-005.pdf

[SurfRail]

I understand there is a woman at Murphys Creek who has been complaining about trains parked across her access road for some decades now.  Perhaps this will cheer her up.

[ozbob]

Media release 17th May 2013



Queensland: Support for freight rail the right thing to do

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 has welcomed the joint announcement by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads The Honourable Scott Emerson, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry The Honourable John McVeigh, concerning rail upgrades on the Toowoomba range line and additional rail freight services (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Queensland has a substantial investment in the rail network. Rail was the transport lifeline that opened up the state"

"Moving bulk freight back to rail means less trucks on the roads.  Road damage and trauma is reduced. Rural Councils all over Queensland are reeling from costs and impacts of the constant road damage. Communities are grieving from the escalating human tragedy of road trauma - the deaths and injuries.

"Many citizens are increasingly terrified to drive on the damaged roads with constant massive trucks."

"Improving train capacity helps to lessen these impacts. It saves lives, it saves money, with lessened environmental impacts."

Reference:

1. http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/5/16/train-transport-package-a-win-for-rural-queensland

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 23rd May 2013  Questions without notice

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2013/2013_05_23_DAILY.pdf

Rail Freight

Mr COX: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads. Can the minister update the House on how he is delivering on the Newman government's commitment to deliver better rail freight services for rural Queenslanders which is important to my region?

Mr EMERSON: I thank the honourable member for the question because this is a great story for Queensland and a great story for Queensland farmers as well. I was very pleased last week to travel to Toowoomba and be there with my ministerial colleague John McVeigh and also the local member, Trevor Watts, to make a significant announcement of up to $50 million to be spent on building extra passing loops on the West Moreton line. Those two additional passing loops will see an extra 20 passes per week for trains. What we are stressing is that we want those for agricultural freight. This will be a great win for cotton and grain, a great win.

Where did that money come from? It came from savings from the renegotiation on the deal that the previous government did with Aurizon, formerly QR National. We are locked into that deal until 2015, but we have tried to make some changes to that. We have gained some savings so that money is going to projects like those passing loops. But there are other things that we have achieved as well. We have increased the number of cattle rail movements also. We have increased those by 48 from what the previous government had negotiated—an increase of 48. I also acknowledge the hard work by the member for Gregory and former minister for transport and main roads who knows what these challenges are. He knows what the issues are in that area, and we have been working very hard to get that. I can also confirm that we have made permanent those additional services coming out of Cloncurry and Winton. That is a great result as well.

One other measure that we announced last week was that, given the drought situation we are seeing in Western Queensland, we have agreed to provide free of charge pilots for truck movements from Cloncurry to Emerald. We are doing that because of the terrible situation out there. It will cost us about $100,000, but the reality is that we as a government feel that that is important money to spend because it does make a significant difference. That is a great result and we have had great support on that from both AgForce and the Queensland Farmers Federation. They have acknowledged the great work that we are doing.

But this is just the start. There is a long journey ahead of us. We will be releasing our draft freight strategy next month. One of the guiding points the Premier gave me and also Minister McVeigh was that we want to see more agricultural freight on our rail. We want to see more cattle on our rail. That is what we are determined to do. That is what we are achieving. The announcement of the passing loops is a great achievement. With these changes we are making we acknowledge that Queensland is more than just South-East Queensland; it is the whole of the state, and it is our job to work for the whole of the state.