The Australian rail industry already contributes almost $40 billion annually to the Australian economy and supports around 200,000 jobs. It connects people to employment, education and essential services, moves goods across the country and supports businesses throughout our cities and regional communities.
Right now New England is getting “bugger all”, to use the common technical term!
But its broader contribution is even more important. Good rail infrastructure can shape where people live, support new housing, unlock commercial development, reduce congestion and improve access to opportunity. Greater use of rail also reduces emissions, improves road safety and makes our cities more liveable.
That is why residents and elected councillors, NSW and Federal MPs in New England needs to think differently about the way they plan transport infrastructure.
The Australasian Railway Association’s (ARA) Future of Rail report, released in June 2026, found that transport development too often follows growth rather than enabling it.
Housing developments can move from rezoning to occupation within three to five years, while a major rail project can take 10 to 15 years to move through planning, approvals and delivery. This disparity means that the delivery of public transport connections to expanding suburban areas can happen long after people have moved in, locking people into car dependence and congestion before new suburbs are even complete.
By contrast, in the Armidale Regional Council (ARC) area, we have a Mayor and Councillors who are wanting to destroy valuable existing rail infrastructure on the GNR line, just for the sake of recreational cycling facility. The cycling trail project, created by New England Rail Trail (NERT) and Friends of NERT (FoNERT), will be a constant recurring drain on ARC’s rate income and potential grants from various New England Renewable Energy Zone (NEREZ) projects.
This is decision by ARC to support a cycling trail that demands the demolition of rail tracks, sleepers, ballast, crossings, etc., is extremely short-sighted. It goes against dramatic international trends of containerised rail freight taking over from road freight which relies on very expensive diesel fuel. It also results in a huge amount of damage to the A15 New England Highway that forms the important transport spine of the Northern Tablelands.
Thousands of residents of the New England federal electorate are now getting very concerned about what the reckless short-shited decisions of 1 local council will make for a region that has been neglected by NSW governments from both ends of the political spectrum.
John Young
New England Network
3-oct-2026
References
https://www.railexpress.com.au/rail-planning-must-start-before-growth-arrives
The inland rail goes port melbourne to Armidale already with standard gauge and track reserves to the QLD boarder (the ripped up link) and then on to Brisbane and Cairns.
Not quite true.
97% of freight between QLD & NSW goes by road today. Most of it is on the M1 Pacific Highway. But a substantial volume also gors down thE A15 New England Highway, especially if its final destination is Melbourne.
Inland Rail was dedigned to take freight off our highways. But it is now terminated at Parkes snd cannot reach Toowoomba QLD.
Re-activating the GNR line north of Armidale to Wallangarra, then by a dual gauging of the existing narrow gauge line to Toowoomba is an economical solution that has national economic significance.
cycling trail need not be exclusive use
The ARC is abrogating its responsibility to its own citizens.
To plan the costly process of destroying a publicly owned asset is beyond understanding.
For the benefit a chosen few ( cyclists) ,who else in the ARC.?