While Byron Council tells residents there’s no funding to repair flood-damaged roads and vital access to peoples’ homes, or fix the dangerous craters in the roads we have to drive on, its seems funding can be found for Byron Council staff to investigate the feasibility of ripping up the valuable train line for a bike track for ‘cycling tourism’ in Byron Shire. There also seems to be funds for staff to investigate the availability of federal and state government funding for ‘cycling tourism’.
In an area where people are constantly complaining about the traffic in our towns, the state of roads and lack of parking, as well as the lack of affordable, accessible, cost-effective public transport, and thousands have been calling for sustainable train services on the train line, there seems to be something terribly wrong with Council’s priorities.
So far 13 kilometres of bike track from Casino to Bentley, and 24 kilometres of track from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek has cost taxpayers $22 million, or about $600,000 per kilometre. That’s not good value for taxpayers when repairs to the train line in Byron cost $660,000 to run the solar train.
At the very least, before Council spends another cent on ‘cycling tourism’ there needs to be a genuine evaluation of the environmental, social, and economic benefits of the Tweed section of track. Tweed locals are reporting little, if any benefits from ‘cycling tourism’, just more traffic in once-quiet towns. Tourists have to drive to the track, many in huge gas-guzzling SUVs, as there’s no alternative. Locals who live next to the track also question the numbers of cyclists reportedly using it.
For many years, both Labor and the state LNP promised funding for trains and a commuter train service on the line. They also promised to start planning for the rail connection to be built to the Queensland rail system at Coolangatta. It’s impossible for 30,000 Byron ratepayers to continue funding roads and other infrastructure for 2.5 million tourists. We pay some of the highest rates in the country, but still can’t get a park at the beach or shops.
You’d think in Byron Shire at the very least our council would be demanding the state government provide the vital funding for trains as promised, and the train line used to provide the social, environmental, and cost-effective public transport needed by locals and 2.5 million tourists, while reducing traffic and emissions in our towns.
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