Louise Doran, Ocean Shores.
What a nasty dummy spit and attempt at bullying the northern rivers community from Don ‘you can have your trains back’ Page, who states ‘if the Rail Trail (on the Casino to Murwillumbah train line) does not go ahead it is likely the corridor will be sold off’. Charming. Obviously the overwhelming support for a train service, and lack of community interest in his rail trail idea, is getting to Mr Page.
The corridor cannot be sold off while it is protected by current legislation and the community has been united in opposing any change to the legislation. We know from the cost of the repairs to the Byron Bay section of line that repairs to the line for a rail service will cost a fraction of what Mr Page and the National Party have been telling the community. Nothing Mr Page says can be believed.
You would think they’d have learnt their lesson after campaigning strongly for a rail trail in the state election and losing the state seat of Ballina to the Greens.
The northern rivers community has spoken and there’s a strong commitment to have Trains On Our Tracks. It’s ludicrous to suggest that over two million people will get off a plane at Coolangatta, put their baggage on the back of their bicycle, and ride all the way to Byron Bay. Nor will they get off the train at Casino and do likewise.
Don Page, the National Party and the Labor Party have wasted too much of our time and money on useless studies, lies and spin. It’s up to our elected representatives to see we get the service we need, not lie to, and bully, the community that pays their wages.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
