Railway proposal criticised

The State Government’s railway track shortening proposal has been branded as ill considered, environmentally destructive and a white elephant.
Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Mr Matthew Wales queries the $790 million project.
"There must be better ways of spending almost a billion dollars," he said.
Mr Wales said it was a matter of urgency to improve the rail service but spending such a large amount of money to shorten rail trips by 15 minutes was a "gross waste of money".
Peninsula residents would save about 10 minutes in travel time between Woy Woy and Central.
Mr Wales said the government’s proposal was a limited and short term view.
He said it would be better to follow the Very Fast Train (VFT) proposal if the government was serious about shortening travel time.
The VFT proposal would cost $4 to $5 billion and would cut train travel time to about half an hour said Mr Wales.
"The local station would be Gosford and possibly Kariong and would follow the freeway," he said.
"The train route would be down the middle of the expressway as it is in many European countries.
"Then we won’t have to carve up the National Park which would be an environmental nightmare," he said.
The Government’s proposal includes a new bridge at Wondebyne’s Mullet Creek that allows the train to travel on the other side of the creek through the National Park.
MrBrian Ellis, local environmentalist and a founder of the Australian Greens, said he would wait to see an Environmental Impact Study before making a decision on the merits of cutting through the National Park.
Mr Ellis said if the line was put through properly and items such as the impact on Aboriginal heritage sites were considered then he had no problem with the proposal.
"Something has to be done for the long suffering commuter," he said.
"The red-crowned toadlet (one of the world’s rarest frogs) may be a concern.
"Maybe a tunnel could be built under the park and the sandstone fill used for other construction.
"There should be a lot of unused tunnel machines after the Olympics.
The State Government said the new rail line would be built by 2007.
Mr Wales said the VFT would not be finished until 2015.
The Premier Mr Carr said the current nine trains an hour peak rate would increase to 12 with the new rail lines.
He said this translates to an extra 5000 seats between 7 am and 9 am each working weekday.
Currently, 30 percent of the Coast’s population commute to Sydney to work.
Transport Minister Carl Scully said the State Government will also upgrade trains for the benefit of commuters.
Member for Peats Ms Marie Andrews said this would mean a better train service to Sydney and should relieve a lot of congestion on the roads.
Commuters travelling to work by car now represent 62 per cent of commuters, a 10 percent increase since 1986.

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