Pete Finch, CEO, Byron Bay TramLink.
As reported in Echonetdaily on Monday, February 13, plans to approve the construction of 250 new homes in the town of Mooball is good news for the growth of the area and will do much for the southern section of the Tweed Coast.
However up to 750 or more new residents will have no means of connecting with the rest of the Tweed community, or commuting to employment and education opportunities in the Byron Shire.
The Shire boundary is just four kilometres from Mooball; Ocean Shores is 12 kilometres and Mullumbimby is 18 kilometres away.
As a proponent of a service to reactivate the north coast rail infrastructure Tweed Shire Council should consider joining with Byron Shire Council in their plans to refurbish the railway tracks so that various forms of rail transport can once again connect our communities.
Great idea Pete.
Peter You say “However up to 750 or more new residents will have no means of connecting with the rest of the Tweed community, or commuting to employment and education opportunities in the Byron Shire.” There are currently two bus routes that connect Mooball to Murbah. One connects tot he Bay and the other to Pottsville . That shows how buses already offer greater opportunities for all residents than one rail line and would do more-so if the Tweed follows the plan to build a busway down the populous Tweed Coast where the employment opportunities will grow. Those bus services are limited of course but could be more frequent and regular you applied even part of the heavy subsidy that was used to run the train services before 2005. Focus on the objective – people and their need for transport – rather than the object – the train.