Narrabri Shire Council has reaffirmed its support for the current proposed Inland Rail alignment following the publication in The Courier of concerns by a group opposed to the planned route.

The objectors are urging a review of the route, citing flood issues and visual and noise impacts, and calling for examination of a proposed ‘plan B’ alternative (see The Courier Thursday June 24).

In a statement, Narrabri Shire Council mayor Ron Campbell said council supported the current alignment of the Inland Rail.

The statement offered the council’s rationale:

“Initially, council put forward a strong and detailed submission to the Narrabri to Narromine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), representing concerns both from Narrabri Shire Council and the broader community,” said Cr Campbell.

“We spoke of the alignment and the opportunities to modify it.

“We spoke of traffic and transport access to protect local roads and road users.

“The council challenged Inland Rail flood modelling and their impacts.

“The council had major issues with the proposal to use the existing rail line through town to be our north/south access line on and off Inland Rail, in preference to a purpose-built north/south access line on Inland Rail,” the mayor said.

Social and economic impacts were canvassed, including that landholders be provided with a ‘level playing field’ and fully consulted on any property acquisitions and that construction infrastructure will be left as a legacy to the Narrabri Shire, Cr Campbell said.

“This is a small brief of council’s submission, the document in its entirety can be found on the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website; Inland Rail – Narromine to Narrabri Project – Environmental Impact Statement – Narrabri Shire Council Submission Report – version 1.0 – January 2021.

“Delivering projects of this scale and complexity is never easy.

“The conversations are difficult, and the impacts are often severe.

“The council is keen to respect the journey undertaken by landowners thus far, and advocate their request to clearly understand where they stand and what their rights are.

“We do not wish to prolong the distress felt by some, nor do we wish to sow new uncertainty and worry in existing or potential new landowners.

“Unfortunately, this is the effect that such recent media articles in The Courier recently encourage and incite.

“At the eleventh hour, to advocate for a new alignment is just too late in the game.

“This should have been done three or four years ago.

“We recognised the futility of moving the line after a number of meetings in Sydney with Inland Rail and again meetings in Canberra with the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

“The council has committed a great deal of effort into pursuing outcomes for the community regarding Inland Rail.

“When you recognise futility, as we did, with moving the line, we didn’t waste our time banging heads about it, we manoeuvred to mitigate impacts around flood modelling and achieving a recognition and design for our north/south access on Inland Rail.

“That is now ‘live’ within the design system on the Inland Rail line. This has been a massive task and a great achievement by the council, working positively with Inland Rail and the federal government with great support from our local Member for Parkes Mark Coulton.

“We have a rail line currently running through town, not to mention the Newell Highway.

“At the end of the day, we most likely will have the Inland Rail skirting around town, linking to the Sydney line via our north/south access, and no line going through town, a great outcome.

“The journey is not over yet, nor the positive outcomes for the Narrabri Shire,” the mayor said.

“This has not been an easy journey but I have all the confidence that the outcomes for us and the broader regions will be worth it, as long as we remain in good dialogue with Inland Rail and the relevant government agencies.”

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