Countrylink Train
The New South Wales State Government this week announced plans to reform its CountryLink services. Fares will go up by 8 per cent and many rural ticketing offices will close. The Government says the reforms are needed to offset losses of $150-million a year due to low patronage.
But John McPherson, a transport economist, says the move is shortsighted. He argues that more people would travel by trains if there were better services and more investment by governments. JOHN MCPHERSON: The rail line to Murwillumbah on the north coast of New South Wales that goes through Byron Bay and then Lismore to connect with the main line at Casino, that has recently been closed. The Government said it can’t afford to run that.
At the same time, a massive $500-million upgrade of the Pacific Freeway ha been built in the same area, so the Government says it can’t find $50-million to upgrade the railway line but it can find $500-million to upgrade the freeway. So we’re still in an era of government thinking all over Australia where rail is seen to be only useful in very specialised circumstances, and passenger rail is still seen as something that’s really on the way out.
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