Parkes Shire mayor Cr Ken Keith has welcomed Australian Rail Track Corporation’s (ARTC) announcement that the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project is well on track.
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The Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project is a 1700km long rail line that’s worth $16 billion to the Australian economy over the next 50 years.
At the National Local Roads and Transport Congress, hosted by the Australian Local Government Association in Toowoomba, ARTC said construction of the first stages of the project is well on track to begin in 2018.
Parkes Shire mayor and Chair of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Alliance, Cr Ken Keith, attended the congress and said the news is encouraging for the region.
“This critical piece of national infrastructure will open up a 'corridor of opportunity' from Brisbane to Melbourne, with Parkes uniquely positioned to leverage economically,” he said.
“The Inland Rail is set to generate $1.8 billion for Northern Western and Central NSW and $2.6 billion for the whole of NSW.
“This is a positive step forward in the process of ensuring that as a nation we have an efficient and reliable rail freight network.
“The announcement that the project is on track is encouraging news for regional Australia and a great win for regional communities along the route.”
New state-of-the-art equipment is expected to be used in the construction of the Inland Rail, which will require 1.6 million sleepers, 2.5 million tonnes of ballast and 138,000 tonnes of rail.
Cr Keith hopes that much of these products will be sourced and procured locally enhancing local economies along the proposed route, including the Parkes Shire.
The project is now two years into the 10 year $10.5 billion program.
A number of additional study areas along the proposed route in NSW and Queensland are being evaluated by ARTC after feedback from the community, local councils, peak bodies and landowners.
In September, the Australian Government’s Department of Finance invited the private sector to register its interest in the design, construction, delivery and financing of the Inland Rail project.
ARTC said that the market testing process has shown strong interest from the private sector, with a report to be finalised by March next year regarding opportunities for investment in the Inland Rail, in time for consideration in the next Federal Budget.
