GOULBURN commuters will have to endure unreliable services for a good while yet, following the NSW Transport Minister’s declaration there will be no upgrade in the immediate future.
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In a letter to Member for Goulburn Pru Goward dated August 10, Minister Andrew Constance declared there will be no rail service upgrades for Goulburn in 2015.
He stated that “it is not possible to change the departure time for the 5.31am and the 7.40am services between Goulburn and Sydney at this time.”
Mr Constance went on to write that the changes could not be accommodated because the Southern Highlands Line carries freight as well as regional and intercity passenger trains.
“As such, trains are carefully scheduled and any other changes to existing services would have a ripple-on effect across the entire network.”
THE Southern Tablelands Rail Users Group (STRUG) is enraged at the response. STRUG president Greg Price called the letter a “slap in the face to Goulburn rail users”.
“It just goes to show the State Government is firmly fixed on Sydney in relation to rail transport and not interested in providing a service to the people who use it,” Mr Price said.
“We are going to tell him that their position is unacceptable, but I don’t see what we can do about it at this late stage because the timetable has been set - we can continue to lobby for the next timetable, which we hope comes out in October next year rather than t wo years away.” Member for Goulburn Pru Goward said yesterday that she was as disappointed as STRUG members about Minister Constance’s letter. She wants to put a strong case to him when they meet with him on September 10.
“We have to put up a strong case and make the argument that we are one of the remaining growth areas outside the metropolitan area,” Ms Goward said.
“We are in the Sydney to Canberra corridor, so we should start to future-proof the region by investing in a rail upgrade. We should also push for changes in the next round of the timetable review. I’m as disappointed as STRUG members on this, but we all need to keep pushing the issue.”
Mr Price said STRUG had been lobbying for 5am and 7am departure times on the intercity (former Cityrail) services out of Goulburn during weekdays.
“The 5am service would get people into Sydney so for an 8.30am start with jobs, etc while the 7am service would get commuters into Sydney between 9.30am and 10am,” Mr Price said.
“We need earlier services in morning - to get the trains into Sydney earlier in the morning so that they can be serviced properly - this is why we have so many problems - they are not serviced enough,” he said.
“We also want a 7am service out of here on weekends and public holidays as well - there is only a 6am service on these days currently.”
STRUG secretary Peter Cook said Goulburn rail users are tired of playing second fiddle to Moss Vale.
“Our services are appalling and there’s no scope for improvement according to the State Government, except in their delivery of excuses. Our community needs to make its voice heard,” Mr Cook said.
“Simple improvements such as stopping the Canberra Xplorer services at Marulan, and more serious improvements such as strategic track capacity improvements, are off the radar of the minister,” he said.
“Infrastructure and facilities needed to manage multiple services along the corridor are being strategically removed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).”
STRUG had a meeting with Ms Goward last night to formulate a strategy for their further talks with Minister Constance on September 10.
“Since the state election, Ms Goward has come on board with the need for improvements to the rail services,” Mr Price said.
“We have spoken to Pru as well as Jai Rowell and John Barilaro and they have all agreed they will lobby for funding for electrification of the southern highlands line in the 2017-18 budget.
STRUG is holding its Annual General Meeting on Monday September 7, at the Goulburn Workers Club at 7:30pm. New members are welcome.