South Australia’s obsession with roads is stifling our vision for rail, says Upper House MP Frank Pangallo

South Australia is wedded to road transport and it has derailed any future rail plans, an Upper House MP says. But the state government has hit back.

Thousands of people moving into houses built on Adelaide’s outskirts are being forced to use cars because the state government is “wedded to bitumen” and has abandoned passenger rail, according to an Upper House MP.

Frank Pangallo is calling for a new rail “vision” to open up SA’s regional areas and better link the city to the tens of thousands of new homes planned for outside Adelaide as the state government combats the rental crisis.

“South Australia has totally abandoned regional rail services, particularly passenger rail services, to its detriment,” Mr Pangallo said.

“There is an opportunity to open our regions and encourage people to move there – but they won’t unless there’s transport that can get them very quickly into the metro area and the city.”

Upper House MP Frank Pangallo says South Australia has an obsession with roads, and it’s come at rail’s expense. Picture NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier

He highlighted the massive housing development north of Adelaide at Riverlea.

“There’s going to be 40,000 homes built at Riverlea on Port Wakefield Road – it’s massive,” he said.

“How are those people going to commute to the city? Are they all going to get on Port Wakefield Road? How’s it and the Northern Expressway going to cope with all that traffic?

“All they need to do is build a spur line – because there’s a nearby rail line and connect it to rail. But there’s no mention of that at all. All they are interested in is metro train services.

“They are not interested in expanding outside the regions. We have existing rail corridors we should be using.”

Passenger trains only run as fair as Gawler in the north and Seaford in the south and don’t venture further into Adelaide’s outskirts or regions. Picture: AAP/Russell Millard

However, Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said Mr Pangallo’s statements were “entirely, demonstrably fanciful”.

“I have a lot of time for Mr Pangallo but on this occasion he has jumped on the wrong train,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

“Far from abandoning rail, we are bringing our trains and trams back into public hands, have secured vital and significant rail corridors and are protecting them from urban development to allow for future rail growth.”

He said transport studies were underway across SA, including in the Hills and northern Adelaide, to plan for future transport needs.

“Nothing is off the table – including rail,” he said.

“Far from failing to plan for transport solutions in areas such as Riverlea, we have added dedicated services and just this week began a major northern Adelaide transport study to ensure future decisions are tailor-made for expected growth and commuter needs.”

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis says all options are on the table when it comes to the state’s future rail. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier

A northern Adelaide transport study examining future needs was launched this week. Picture NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier

Mr Pangallo also accused Mr Koutsantonis of being “disrespectful” towards Spanish train manufacturers Talgo, with which the Minister met last year to discuss a potential train trial between Mount Barker and the city.

The trial is in doubt after Mr Koutsantonis said Talgo appeared to have thought Mount Barker was larger in population, and further from the CBD, and would suitable for their specialised high-speed, intercity locomotives.

Mr Pangallo said it was “insulting” to think Talgo could not produce a train that could run from Mount Barker to the city.

Talgo runs high-speed, intercity locomotives around the world and expressed some early interest in running trains between the city and Mount Barker.

“I know they can – when I spoke to them, they had a train ready to be shipped out from the UK for the trial … but the state government didn’t want to pay anything for the trial,” he said.

Mr Pangallo said Talgo also wanted to trial its high-speed trains between Australian cities, and were looking at a new manufacturing hub in Port Augusta.

A letter from the Premier to Talgo, seen by The Advertiser, makes it clear the state government has greenlit the trial, but would not offer to help fund it.

Mr Koutsantonis said the government had “bent over backwards” to give Talgo access to local rail corridors if they wanted to continue to the trial

“I personally met with the Spanish government to advocate on their behalf,” he said.

“The ball is firmly in Talgo’s court. I have been saying this publicly for 12 months, since I met with the company in Spain.”