Congratulations to the Singleton Argus and other regional Fairfax newspapers for coming out strongly against the hare-brained NSW Government plan to cut the direct rail link to Newcastle CBD in December, 2014. Governments all over the globe are intent on improving public transport, however, our State government is planning a great leap backwards by severing the heavy rail line at Wickham, and then spending well over $400 million to replace it with light rail. That's roughly how much the Government collects in coal royalties from Singleton in a whole year!
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was always difficult to understand why any government would do something so costly and stupid. For decades, successive Council and State Governments have rebuffed speculators' attempts to get their hands on the subsidence-free rail corridor. Recently, however, the ICAC hearings have graphically indicated that an alarming network of political influence-buying appears to have been operating in NSW especially Newcastle. Now, it seems obvious the principal driving force behind the rail closure decision was to permit local and Singaporean developers to build high-rise on the rail line.
The result for Singleton people will be: a 15-20 minute slower trip to central Newcastle; an annoying change to buses for at least two years and, maybe forever, if the light rail budget disappears after the next State election; greater traffic congestion around Wickham; and cars sharing Hunter Street with light rail carriages. When our sons were in their mid-teens, it was great to drive them to Singleton Station with their surf gear and know they would be delivered by train right to Newcastle Beach. This will be a thing of the past.
Every newspaper poll on this subject whether in Newcastle or Maitland has shown that a clear majority oppose the closure. The Government has never given the electors a chance to have their say on this vital issue. Premier Baird says he is sorry for what ICAC has revealed in the Hunter, however, he still maintains that the rail closure will go ahead so he can honour his government's promises. The question is: do promises to greedy developers have priority over the public good? There are so many genuinely beneficial ways the millions could be spent. For a start, extra passenger train services to Singleton have been requested from unresponsive State Governments for years.
We hope that Singleton Council will pass a motion expressing their opposition to a rail plan that will significantly disadvantage Singletonians especially the elderly and non-drivers. We also call on our local member, George Souris, to endorse publicly the need to maintain the direct rail link to central Newcastle.
Jan and Raoul Walsh
Goorangoola
