Dr Joe McGirr asked for more time for the community to respond to the Inland Rail EIS. Photo: Supplied.
Wagga MP, Dr Joe McGirr has secured more time for Riverina residents to examine and respond to the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Albury-Illabo section of the Inland Rail.
The EIS is comprised of 57 documents and outlines the impact of extensive work planned for the existing 185-kilometre rail line between Albury and Illabo.
“There are thousands of pages of documents prepared by experts in their field, yet members of the public, whose communities will be seriously affected by the Inland Rail proposal, have been given just four weeks to write and lodge their submissions,” Dr McGirr said.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) was only accepting community submissions until Tuesday, 13th September, however this has now been extended to the 28th.
A spokesperson said last week that they remain “committed to working closely and respectfully with landholders and local communities throughout the design, development, and construction of Inland Rail”.
The member for Wagga remains an advocate for transport infrastructure but wants to ensure that the community benefits from any changes and that they have the opportunity to be heard.
He announced on Friday that he had written to the Minister for Planning and Home, Anthony Roberts, asking for the deadline to be extended so people have more time to make their thoughts known.
Hours later, he confirmed that his request had been successful in securing a two-week extension.
The extensive report lists 24 sites, described as ‘enhancement sites’, that will need to be upgraded to cater for double-stacked 6.5-metre-high trains.
Bridges will be either removed or replaced or sections of the track will be lowered to allow them to pass under.
There has been a public backlash in Wagga to the idea of increasing the number of 1.8-kilometre long freight trains rumbling through the CBD and the extensive traffic disruptions as the Edmondson Street bridge is replaced.
During the construction of a new 1.8 metre higher bridge, Edmondson and Erin streets will be closed and will require a traffic detour for up to nine months.
“A traffic detour to the east and west of Edmondson Street will be established, with either detour route to take about nine minutes,” it reads.
Wagga Councillor Richard Foley has been outspoken in his objection to the trains running through the city and has called on citizens to back an alternative route.
“Act on this quickly and voice your support for a bypass linking the rail to the Bomen RiFL Hub,” he said.
“A full review of the Inland Rail is coming soon so the more opposition we get locally the better for that review process to fall in our favour.”
All 57 documents of the EIS can be accessed here.
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