Peter Finch, East Lismore
At last someone else has put their hand up to question the fluffery and misinformation surrounding rail trails (Chris Sheridan, (Letter, 3 February) Mr/Ms Sheridan has noted that the style the Northern Rivers Rail Trail collective use to present their case is sheer public relations spin and totally devoid of facts.
Byron Shire Council have an asset on their hands that can give so much back to the wider community, hence their Multi Use of the Railway Corridor plan. A rail + trail corridor will provide a means for bike riders to travel between towns within the Shire. But for those who visit Byron to relax and take in some scenery, visit a hinterland village, and get away from the Byron bustle, a rail-based operation offers so much.
Operating as a tourist service it would be expected that fares would be fixed to reflect the business costs and returns required. It’s highly unlikely that a private rail operator would gain approval to provide local services on the Murwillumbah branch line when the state government subsidises local bus fares.
A well-planned sustainably powered light rail vehicle service can take day-trippers from a park-and-ride station at Tyagarah to Mullumbimby or into Byron and out to Bangalow. Then three per cent of visitors to Byron Bay who claim sightseeing is their key activity while visiting can add local tourism to movie-star spotting and window shopping.
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. 
