In answer to David Lisle’s letter – Backlash Echo Aug 3, 2022.
Our rail corridor was only ‘disused’ because of purely political and so-called economics! The ‘economics’ was the ‘saving’ of $5M per year, yet no details to show the source of the $5M.
The train service was not defunct at all but was a vital connection across the whole region of the vast Northern Rivers, to cover the transport needs of all people who, for whatever reason, could not drive a vehicle – either too young (hence hitch-hiking), medically unable and as for the idea that the whole community will be able to use trail – nonsense.
The Labor government way back tried to delete the Casino to Murwillumbah train service but was stopped, but of course we know those opposing that also backflipped!
In the Northern Star (2 February, 2018) NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said: ‘The federal funding was the culmination of a “long fight, and a lot or work behind the scenes”.’
I have researched massively and methinks many conflicts of interest by many MPs, councillors, bicycle groups, Rail Trail groups happened so the actual decision to continue not bringing the train service back, years ago, was not fair at all.
Mr Tim Fischer, (in his passing we lost him but we have his statement about our train service, that people should know about) Australia’s best known railway enthusiast and patron of Rail Trails NSW, gave his support for the return of train services to the Northern Rivers and wrote to Northern Rivers Railway Action Group, giving his full support for the return of train services to the Northern Rivers stating ‘Rail trails are great in many ways and certainly boost cross pollination of ideas and linkages but better still in NE NSW, shuttle modern light rail between Casino and Byron Bay and Murwillumbah makes great sense and I believe essential to core transport fabric increasingly congested part of NSW, adjoining as it does the Gold Coast.’ Tim Fischer – former Deputy Prime Minister. Northern Star 21 June, 2014, told the Northern Star that, had the cancelled XPT service been replaced with a light rail commuter service a decade ago, the service ‘would be booming by now’.
Light rail planning for extension to South Tweed Heads – so what a debacle, eh! Bike track SOUTH!
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. 
