Council says ARTC comments regarding Inland Rail are misleading
Lockyer Valley Regional Council says recent quotes attributed to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) regarding the proposed Inland Rail route through the Lockyer Valley region are both incomplete and misleading.
Lockyer Valley Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan is calling for transparency from the ARTC, saying it is vital they tell the full story so impacted communities have a realistic understanding of the impacts.
“Our Council has been committed to securing favourable outcomes for the region by working collaboratively with the ARTC from the beginning of this process, and this is a very disappointing result.
“We don’t believe asking for accuracy and working in good faith is too much to ask as regardless, the proposed route will have detrimental impacts on our region and our concerns are not being taken seriously.
“ARTC has apparently compared two potential alignments – one through Gatton and one around Gatton and it’s hard to believe they’ve genuinely weighed up the significant long-term impacts upon the people of this community.
“Council is seeking to avoid the substantial impacts on the Gatton community but is not wedded to any alignment, as long as 40 to 50 freight trains do not go through the middle of town each day,” Mayor Milligan said.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Jason Cook said that while no one wants koala habitat or high-quality agricultural land to be impacted, ARTC are quite willing to do so when it suits their agenda and budget.
“What ARTC is not saying is that both alignments for Gatton will have impacts on koala habitat, agricultural land and both pose flood risks. Any additional impact would be miniscule in comparison to the impacts identified in their own EIS.
“The alignment around town is downstream and will reduce the impacts for thousands of residents of the Gatton community and will reduce the likelihood of increased flood waters impacting residential areas, yet this option isn’t being seriously considered.
“ARTC recently referred to the ‘additional studies’ they are relying on for the alignment decision but refuses to let our Council see them and given the questions raised along the whole alignment about their studies, we have reasonable grounds to question them.
“Cost comparisons for the two alignments continue to apparently fluctuate erratically, with our Council being told verbally a wild variety of figures comparing the costs, ranging from actual savings to enormous costs.
“Again, let us see this assessment and let’s see just what is being costed.
Mayor Milligan said it’s only fair and reasonable the true costs and impacts of the various alignments are made public given our community will have to live with the results for generations.
“Lockyer Valley Regional Council wants to know just what price the ARTC and Government are willing to put on the future liveability of Gatton and the Lockyer Valley,” Mayor Milligan said.
