A CountryLink train on the southern NSW rail network. Photo: VisitNSW.
Rail passengers across southern NSW are being asked whether more convenient train times would encourage them to use rail more often, amid concerns late-night arrivals, long waits and safety issues are making current services impractical for some travellers.
Independent Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr has launched an online survey seeking feedback on train timetables between Wagga and Sydney and Melbourne, saying representations to his office suggest many people would use the train more often if services ran at more convenient times.
While the survey has been launched in Wagga, Dr McGirr said the issue extended beyond the city to towns and communities along the route.
“Representations to my office naturally come from the Wagga electorate, but the timetables are unsuitable for many communities in and around our region,” he said.
“All regional communities deserve train services that meet their needs.”
One indication the current timetable is not meeting travellers’ needs is the lengths some are going to to find a more convenient service.
“Some people from Wagga are driving to Albury to catch the train to Melbourne because it’s cheaper and more convenient, which tells us the Wagga offering is falling short,” Dr McGirr said.
The timing of existing services is among the concerns being raised.
“Most trains arrive and leave from Wagga late at night,” Dr McGirr said.
“Others often have long waits at other stations before finally reaching their destination. That’s obviously inconvenient to many people.
“The survey aims to find out what times people would prefer so I can advocate for times that actually reflect when people want to travel.”
Late-night services are also raising questions about safety for passengers arriving at regional stations in the early hours and then having to make their way home.
Dr McGirr said that should form part of the discussion about whether existing services were meeting community needs.
“Safety issues are absolutely a matter of concern,” he said.
“There are risks late at night, which is unfair to anyone who does not feel safe at a train station in the middle of the night.
“Cost and convenience are important, but travellers have a right to be safe and to feel safe, and it will be important to see how that reflects in the data we receive.”
Dr McGirr said affordability was another reason to examine whether regional train services could better meet passengers’ needs at a time when households were dealing with increased cost-of-living pressures.
The survey comes as the NSW Government moves towards introducing its new regional rail fleet.
Dr McGirr said the rollout made it important to consider how the new trains could be used to provide services that better matched when regional passengers wanted to travel.
He has not specified whether that should mean changed timetables, additional services or both.
“I am keen to find out what the community wants so I can use that information to press for changes,” he said.
“The government is rolling out a new regional rail fleet so it’s important that we make the most of that.
“If extra services are needed, I will use the data to press for that.”
Any change at Wagga would also affect other stations across southern NSW.
“Changes to the timetable at Wagga would also mean changes at other stations in the state’s south,” Dr McGirr said.
“I would encourage anyone wanting better services to let their MP know — the more voices the better.”
Improved train services have also been included in Transport for NSW’s (TfNSW) Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan, which sets out a framework for transport infrastructure in the region over the next 20 years.
Dr McGirr said the timing meant regional communities should make their views known now.
“The plan provides the foundation for the delivery of transport infrastructure to our region for the next 20 years, so now is the time to ensure the voices of our community are heard,” he said in announcing the survey.
He pointed to the campaign for the potential duplication of Wagga’s Gobbagombalin Bridge, which attracted more than 10,000 petition signatures and was subsequently included in the plan, as an example of the weight community advocacy could carry.
Once the rail survey closed, Dr McGirr said, he would use the findings to lobby for changes through Parliament, government ministers and TfNSW.
“I will use the survey data in advocacy measures, which might include statements and questions in Parliament, letters to ministers, and ongoing lobbying in liaison with TfNSW and other agencies,” he said.
He also plans to raise the issue with fellow rural independent MPs whose communities may benefit from improvements to regional rail services.
The survey is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DrJoeTrainSurvey, or people can call into Dr McGirr’s office at 64 Baylis Street in Wagga Wagga to fill out a hard copy.
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
