The following is the address made by myself in the GISC Public Forum last council meeting, speaking against the recommendations listed under ITEM 7.13 under the Report titled NEW ENGLAND AND NORTH WEST STRATEGIC REGIONAL INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PLAN
-A Gray, Glen Innes
11th January, 2025
Thank you, Mayor and Councillors, for giving me this opportunity to address you today.
I speak AGAINST the Recommendations listed under ITEM 7.13 under the Report titled NEW ENGLAND AND NORTH WEST STRATEGIC REGIONAL INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PLAN
Firstly, I wish to clarify why I am speaking AGAINST the recommendations in this report.
I note that “The purpose of this report is to provide a response by Councillors regarding opportunities to provide feedback on the draft New England and Northwest Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan.”
I believe that the current recommendations in the report do not reflect our community’s expectations about the council’s public advocacy role. Though transport is not council’s core responsibility, it has a moral duty to understand and communicate transport issues facing our community to the NSW government’s transport planning process for our region. This is an excellent opportunity that the council should not evade by not making detailed new submission with community inputs.
The results from Trains North Community Rail Survey conducted early this year in Glen Innes & District show that 96 percent out of 411 respondents are not satisfied with the existing public transport services to the north or south. They believe that they deserve a regular, effective, integrated public transport system including a reactivated main north line. 96 percent are also not satisfied about the position adopted by Glen Innes Severn Council. 95 percent of respondents believe that they will benefit economically by being able to travel by train.
Recommendation 1 requires the council to Note the information previously provided to TfNSW by Council.
I believe this refers to the letter that the Director of Infrastructure wrote to Holly Wadsworth, Senior Transport Planner –Planning & Programs, Regional & Outer Metro Division on 2nd April 2024. (Annexure A). That letter does not accurately reflect the current transport needs of our residents.
Under the paragraph heading Train Services the letter states that “many residents accept that there is no direct train and are satisfied that there is a bus that connects with the Armidale train”. This is based on verbal feedback. Sending a statement like this without substantial evidence is not warranted or desirable. Questions also arise about the verbal feedback.
How did the council collect this verbal information? Is there is a record of this? Or is it simply hearsay?
According to the Trains North survey, 28 percent stated that they have a disability requiring public transport. Those who contacted us told that the bus does not have facilities or equipment suitable for people with disabilities. We need to take care of our vulnerable community members with better transport.
Council letter dated 2nd April to Holly Wadsworth states that “The Council does not view the return of a rail service to be economically viable and is progressing with a rail trail on the corridor”.
On what basis did the council make this judgement about the economic viability of the return of a rail service? Has the council conducted a feasibility study or a cost benefit analysis? Or is it again another statement that cannot be substantiated with factual evidence?
I believe council needs to leave such matters to TfNSW, being the proper authority to assess economic viability or otherwise.
There is a lot of opposition to the rail trail in our community as it requires the removal of the train line. The online petition organised by rail advocate Dr. Siri Gamage through change.org has 4,524 supporters. Council’s own telephone survey conducted in March this year showed a majority do not support a rail trail. I would also like to remind the council about the 10,740-signature community petition submitted to NSW Parliament & debated in February this year seeking the restoration of train services from Armidale to Jennings/Wallangarra.
The minister advised that she is willing to have another look at this train line in an evidence-based manner. The current process for collecting evidence for the New England/North West Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan is the main vehicle for collecting evidence. Therefore, I urge the council to make a submission to this process because the letter sent in April is totally unsatisfactory.
Furthermore, TfNSW recently announced a new 10-year program for regional rail renewal. It is a new strategic initiative called the Regional Network East/West Uplift Program (RNEW), designed as part of the NSW Government’s commitment to providing rail networks across NSW “that are effective, efficient & reliable”. In my opinion, here lies another opportunity for the Council to advocate for better train services to Glen Innes.
Under the paragraph heading Bus Services, the April letter says that feedback indicates a need for expanded bus services, particularly between Armidale & Stanthorpe which could connect with a bus that goes to Brisbane. However, it does not talk about bus services between Armidale & Glen Innes? I believe that we should be asking for more bus services between Armidale & Glen Innes until the government considers future extension of a train service to our town.
I would now like to speak about Recommendation 2 that requires the council to note that there are no specific funds currently available.
May I suggest that as the government funding has been withdrawn from the rail trail project, part of the authorised expenditure of $170,000 from Council’s general fund (resolved at the 16th May 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting) be reallocated to a systematic investigation of public transport issues faced by residents in the LG area and necessary steps required to address them by an integrated transport service?
Recommendation 3 Acknowledges that council has an advocacy role with regard to public transport and advertises the opportunity for community members to provide input into the New England and Northwest Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan via the TfNSW “Have your say” portal.
This recommendation only requires the council to advertise the opportunity for community members to provide input into the plan but does not mention any responsibility for the council to make its own inputs through a new submission. This is not the Council exercising its public advocacy role to the satisfaction of its residents.
Yes, it is certainly possible for some community members to access the portal however for many aged & disabled people council should understand & acknowledge that this is a real difficulty for them. Having known & professionally worked with these folk over many years I feel well qualified to say that a large percentage of our Glen Innes community needs council to now take the role of advocating strongly for our community in regard to this, matter. Be mindful that most of us may also fit into this category one day, needing transport assistance. It is important to remember that accessibility to medical services is closely related to the availability of regular and efficient plus cost-effective public transport.
The impression I get from this report is that GISC is not willing to hear about the difficulties residents face. Council can collate feedback from the residents and forward to the Integrated Planning Process in summary form. One can hardly say that only consulting council’s visitor information staff is an adequate way to consult the Local Government Area. We have elected our representatives to make representations on our behalf to the government on matters important to us. Transport is a matter that is critically important to us! Better transport is also important to attract more professionals, population and businesses. We deserve better connectivity between our LG area with population centres to the north as well as south. In this regard I commend the notion of wanting a second train from Armidale to Sydney mentioned in the April letter.
The General Manager’s report only mentions the interactive map available from the TfNSW web site for community members to have their say. It does not give the email address to send submissions. Many residents not familiar with new technology are unable to access the interactive map. The email address is engage.sritps@transport.nsw.gov.au
On behalf of the residents in our LG area, I request the council to amend the recommendations so that the council plays its public advocacy role by gathering feedback from the community about transport issues, aspirations and suggestions in a more formal way and send a new submission to the regional integrated transport planning process.
I hope the Council will take the points I presented seriously and in good faith. Thank you for listening.
