Faster Rail

The July agenda paper for Neighbourhood Forum 5 that operates under the auspices of Wollongong City Council noted in part that on 21 June, the NSW Treasurer delivered the state budget, which includes “a record $112.7 billion investment in infrastructure over the next four years. This includes $76.7 billion for transformative transport infrastructure…”.

The 36 page overview notes inter alia $274.5 million to continue planning of the Fast Rail program to deliver faster connections between Sydney, Canberra, Bomaderry, Newcastle, the Central Coast and the Central West which is NSW and Commonwealth Government-funded.

Most of this limited funding, which is dwarfed by an extra $5 billion to complete the Sydney and South West Metro will go to the Sydney Newcastle line.

A $16 million business case to investigate faster rail options from Sydney to Wollongong (and onto Bomaderry), cofunded by the Australian and NSW government was completed in March 2021.

To quote from the Australian Governments Faster Rail booklet “The current quality of the rail service in the Sydney to Wollongong corridor reflects a range of operational and infrastructure constraints including the Illawarra Escarpment and the single track Coalcliff Tunnel. Uncompetitive rail services add to congestion on roads linking Sydney and Wollongong. …Improved rail services have the potential to improve accessibility to the Sydney employment market from Wollongong, which has above average unemployment, and where a substantial percentage of the population travels to Sydney for work. Currently, approximately 17 per cent of the local population travel to Sydney to work.” The vulnerability of Wollongong to being cut off from most external access makes imperative the requirement for a more secure, more frequent rail service to Sydney.

As noted by Paul Scully MP in commenting on the 2022 NSW Budget, in 2019, the NSW Government commissioned the McNaughton Report on fast rail in NSW. This report remains secret despite his efforts to have it made public. The 2022 NSW budget included an allocation for faster rail along several routes in NSW, including through to Bomaderry, but did not provide any further project details. Mr Scully is seeking further details from the Government about what, if anything, this might mean for travel time and service frequency on the South Coast Line.

At its July 6 meeting, Neighbourhood Forum 5 thanked Mr Scully for this, and asked him to also seek the release of the report completed in March 2021 on improving South Coast travel times, and if we can have off peak trains to Sydney every half hour (like Newcastle has had for years) rather than every hour, prior to the major international cycle event in September 2022 to be held in Wollongong. 

The Forum also noted that the Leader of the Opposition Mr Minns in his budget report of 23 June did not raise the issue of improving regional rail, and has written to Mr Ryan Park, requesting a statement from either Mr Minns or the Shadow Minister for Regional Transport (Ms Jenny Aitchison), as to how a NSW ALP government if elected in March 2023 would provide for more and faster South Coast trains.

Wollongong Council’s Neighbourhood Forum 5 calls for another look at completing Maldon Dombarton

The May agenda papers for this forum notes that the Maldon-Dombarton rail link is a 35 kilometre partly completed freight line.  In 2014, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) prepared a business case for its completion, but this received in 2016-17 an adverse Project Business Case evaluation by Infrastructure Australia. 

The heavy rains in March and April 2022 have led to impacts on the South Coast line, around Otford requiring the extended cancellation of some passenger trains and replacement by buses between Waterfall and Thirroul. The line was recently closed to allow essential maintenance.

The Moss Vale Unanderra line which is now part of the Interstate Network managed by Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) was closed for routine maintenance for two days in January 2022 is understood to now require further maintenance to deal with the recent heavy rains. In normal times freight trains that use the Moss Vale Unanderra line could be diverted to the South Coast line. However, with problems on the South Coast line, this is not so easy. 

The recent rains highlight the capacity and other constraints on the South Coast and Moss Vale Unanderra lines, and demonstrate the desirability of completing the Maldon Dombarton link. 

At is May 2022 on line meeting, the Forum resolved to request the Paul Scully MP and Ryan Park MP to seek from the NSW Government an undertaking that the 2014 Business case for completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail link will be updated as a matter of urgency, and that the updated business case is to address the value of the new link when the South Coast line and or the Moss Vale Unanderra line is closed due to weather or other events. 

The Forum is awaiting advice from TfNSW via our local members.

https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/161704/NF5-Minutes-4-May-2022.pdf

State MP calls for better trains

On 23 May 2018, the NSW State member for Wollongong Paul Scully spoke in Parliament on the need for a better train service, and the need to complete the Maldon Dombarton link.

The link to this  speech is - https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-102190/link/2225

The speech notes that it is 30 years since the then Greiner government stopped work on the  Maldon Dombarton link.

This was when the contract to build the 4 km Avon tunnel was cancelled. The contract price was just over $20 million, and some $10 million was paid for preliminary work and compensation for not finishing the job.

 A very expensive mistake, as it will now cost over $100 million to build this tunnel.

Wollongong commuters demand better

On Monday 28 May, over 100 people came out wanting more trains and faster trains between Wollongong and Sydney. It was well reported the next morning by ABC Radio Illawarra who interviewed many people at the meeting who spoke of the need for a better train service, and covered by the Illawarra Mercury

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5434686/ryan-park-wants-rail-upgrades-before-f6-extension

The notorious 3.24 pm weekday Central to Kiama four car train came in for special attention, where some days, over 100 people are standing or sitting on seats..

Comment piece calls on NSW Government and ALP opposition to commit to regional rail

https://theconversation.com/lets-get-moving-with-the-affordable-medium-speed-alternatives-to-the-old-dream-of-high-speed-rail-95854? 

Will the new trains be any faster than the current 90 minutes for Sydney to Wollongong

trains that was achieved by express steam trains in the past?

Illawarra Rail Fail-Public meeting 28 May 2018

Source: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/public-meeting-calling-for-better-rail-services-on-the-south-coast-line-tickets-45501135120?aff=efbeventtix

Imagine a train service to and from Sydney every 15 minutes with slick connections to local stations. Imagine getting a seat every time even in peak hour.
Other countries and cities have great train services - it’s possible, but only if there is the political will to make it happen. We need a State government that will commit money to improve rail infrastructure and who will lobby hard for Federal infrastructure money to be allocated to the Illawarra.
There will be a State election in NSW in March 2019. Let’s convince politicians that this is a hot issue for voters.
Come to a public meeting to express your ideas and call for specific improvements like:

• Extra carriages on the current overcrowded 4 car services
  
• Increase seating capacity on proposed new 2019 fleet
  
• Tunnel from Thirroul to Waterfall
  
  

  Monday 28th May

  7pm-8:30

  Wollongong Tennis Club

  37 Foley St, Gwynneville

  
  Panel:
  
• Dr Phil Laird – (UOW national authority on rail transport)
  
• Dr Mehreen Faruqi (Greens MP)
  
• Ryan Park (State MP for Keira)
  
• Bronwyn Batten (local resident and rail user)
  

For more information contact bronwyn.batten@gmail.com 0403 176 716

Cut the Commute

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Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) commends the Editorial of the Illawarra Mercury for 15 July:

“Our readers have made it loud and clear through the columns of these pages as part of our Cut the Commute campaign”. For full article click HERE

Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) would like to thank the Lord Mayor and Councillors of Wollongong City Council who are completing a six year term of office, and looks forward to working with the new Council.

 WTC also commends the unanimous motion passed by Council on 29 May 2017 moved by Councillor Merrin and as amended as follows:

1.     Given the recently-released analysis of the economic, social and environmental advantages to Wollongong of improving rail transport in the region, in comparison to building the M1 Motorway in southern Sydney, Council write to Local Members, the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, The Hon Andrew Constance MP, and the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, The Hon Melinda Pavey MP, requesting

a.    that public transport and freight rail options be included in the business case for theM1 Motorway;

b.    all relevant information pertaining to the costs and benefits of rail improvements in the Illawarra to be released to the public; and

c.    advice on how the Government will reduce rail travel times between Wollongong and Sydney.

2.     The letters also outline

a.    the great opportunity the recently announced Federal Government National Rail Program which has been designed specifically for Regional areas is for our region;

b.    the assurance that Wollongong Council recognises the great opportunity for growth to the Illawarra if the rail corridors linking Wollongong to other areas, such as Sydney and South Western Sydney were developed to a standard that would enable our rail infrastructure to meet the current demands and the future needs of the area;

c.    that the recently-announced Federal funds for rail infrastructure would fit perfectly, if they were achieved, into the future expected residential and business needs for this region;

d.    that those funds would help to facilitate the completion of the long overdue and much-needed revamp of the Illawarra rail line.

3.     Council ensure that these letters are prepared and sent as soon as possible.