Passenger rail between Mt Barker and Adelaide possible in one hour and for fraction of $12bn government estimate, expert says

A rail expert says a Mount Barker to Adelaide link would come in way under the state government’s $12bn cost estimate – and he can prove it.

A former Australian National Rail engineer has made a solid case for a Mount Barker-Adelaide rail link he says would cost a fraction of the state government’s $6bn-$12bn estimate.

Mt Barker local Douglas McCarty has presented a business case to Infrastructure SA after spending months working on a detailed proposal.

Mr McCarty said the entire project would cost about $317m. That would include $163m in infrastructure upgrades along the existing freight line, paving the way for an hour-long train journey between Mt Barker and the Adelaide Railway Station.

That trip would be 20 minutes less than previously suggested by Transport Minister Corey Wingard at a public forum last month.

A further $154m would need to be spent on new trains.

The proposal is now under consideration as part of an independent investigation by Infrastructure SA into public transport options in the Adelaide Hills.

Mr McCarty, who worked for Australian National Rail as a civic and structural engineer, said his proposal had been peer reviewed by industry experts.

Former Australian National Rail engineer Douglas McCarty says an hour-long passenger rail trip between Mount Barker and the city could be developed at just a fraction of the $12bn cost estimated by the state government. Picture Dean Martin

“What prompted me to do this was that we had people talking about providing a service for $6bn to $12bn. I thought what we needed was something realistic that was based on the infrastructure that was there, instead of having to rebuild and destroy other critical lines through the Hills,” he said.

“So what I’ve created is a different kind of concept. One where you have a suburban service through Mount Barker to ease commuting and then you have the village collection through the Hills and then finally the express to the city.”

Under the proposal, new stations would be built at Mount Barker’s Heysen Boulevard and at Mount Barker south, between Wellington and Alexandrina roads.

Trains would also stop at Mount Barker’s existing central station and at new or restored stations in Littlehampton, Balhannah, Bridgewater and Aldgate.

It would then become an express service to Adelaide with the train stopping only at Blackwood and Goodwood.

Train stations would be supported by park ‘n’ ride facilities, while several passing rail loops would allow trains to pass each other on the single line.

With the government supporting a $250m spend on traffic improvement around Hahndorf and $662m to create a new Adelaide Riverbank area, Mr McCarty said his proposal was worth consideration.

“I believe that my proposal has everything in it,” he said. “I designed all the stations and then worked out what each station would cost … all the way down to foundations, concrete walls, safety tiles and safety railing, and even made allowances for anti-vandal toilets.

“With the track work, I got some numbers from people who work for SATAC and so I applied those.

“I even created a timetable to work out where everything would cross and how many passing loops are needed.”

Infrastructure SA chief executive Jeremy Conway said a report on feasible public transport options would be presented to state Cabinet by the end of the year.

He confirmed his office met with Mr McCarty, as well as members from the SA Transport Action Group and other local “proponents”.

“As the government’s independent infrastructure advisory body, we have been requested to provide advice to Cabinet on the relative feasibility of different public transport options,” he said.

“As part of this work we will look to understand the needs and constraints and the different options to meet the growing need for public transport up to Mount Barker.

“This will include a review of the possible options for a rail service to Mount Barker.”