What better way to work out good design than getting hands on – or in this case, on bike – when you are designing a bike path than cycling along a successful bike path? That is exactly what staff from Tweed Shire Council did last weekend when they rode 40km along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVBT).
Council staff working on the design of the first stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail joined the president of the trail’s users association Paul Heymans to learn lessons from their experience with the ongoing construction of the 162-kilometre trail BVBT and its operation.
‘We spent several hours riding the trail with Paul and discussing all aspects of how they established the trail and how it has grown over the past decade,’ northern rivers rail trail project manager Iain Lonsdale said.
The research ride allowed the team of design engineers and environmental scientists the opportunity to inspect the different kinds of surfaces used along the Brisbane Valley trail, which will help Tweed decide the best design option for Stage 1 of the Northern Rivers trail from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek.
‘We also saw how Brisbane Valley used the existing rail infrastructure, incorporating bridges, tunnels, railway track, signage and station buildings into their design.’
On the day of the ride, the Brisbane Valley trail was hosting a 160-kilometre endurance run with refresher stations and supporters at various points along the trail.
‘Seeing the patronage of the rail trail and how well it worked for a major regional sporting event was very encouraging.
‘Without exception, everyone we spoke to on the trail was enthusiastic and welcomed the prospect of a new rail trail in the Tweed.’
The Tweed team was particularly interested to learn of the business opportunities provided by the trail, reporting that the demand for accommodation generated by trail users had prompted a $1 million expansion and upgrade of the Esk Caravan Park.
‘Our visit to Brisbane Valley certainly fuelled the passion of the Tweed team to deliver a first-class rail trail product for northern New South Wales to build a new regional tourist attraction to drive economic growth and jobs.’
For more information about stage one of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail and to have your say about the proposed trail, visit https://www.yoursaytweed.com.au/RailTrail.
Let’s hope the assessment team in Tweed, sees the best and cheapest option is a simple rail trail.
This will be the most aesthetic and faithful outcome to the original formation concept of the 1890’s.
It is due for completion in 2 years, and will see an explosion of economic benefit within its route.
Spending more on a lasting surface, will pay dividends in the future, and secure the Tweed section’s integrity throughout the entire 132 kilometer trail’s development.
Everybody who opposes the rail trail in Northern NSW should do exactly this and become informed. The train lobby now has the ‘Solar Train’ as a practical example of a rail service on the corridor and now it’s up to TOOT and NRRAG to promote it so that it can survive. At present it’s future looks uncertain unless low passenger numbers are not an issue in the long-term funding model.
The Tweed Valley Rail Trail will also need to prove that it can be a viable attraction for the region even though, like the train, it’s just a small fraction of the full proposal. One thing you can be assured of is that organisations such as the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Destination NSW, Tourism Australia and three of the four Councils involved will be making every effort Locally, Nationally and Internationally to put the message out.
When the Tweed Valley Rail Trail is finally open for business, we will have a fully functioning example of a train and a trail that we can evaluate and measure for financial sustainability, achievability, community benefit and tourism appeal. Judging by the blossoming of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, I’d confidently predict a resounding success for the the rail trail.