Up to 4500 Lockyer Valley homes have the potential to be affected by Inland Rail by 2040, a study has revealed

A 9000-page, in depth document has revealed the severity of the Inland Rail and how it will impact our region

Alarm bells are ringing for five key Lockyer Valley towns as details of the Inland Rail project come to light.

A good night’s sleep will be hard to come by for 4500 homes between Grantham, Helidon, Laidley, Forest Hill and Gatton, a study has found.

A draft environmental impact statement has revealed noise from the double-stacked freight trains will impact 175 houses.

But that number is expected to soar as the population continues to boom, with the World Health Organisation predicting 4500 homes by 2040.

Lockyer mayor Tanya Milligan said the impact of the Helidon to Calvert line would be “devastating for many in the region”.

“National benefits shouldn’t come at the cost of our residents,” Cr Milligan said.

The proposed Inland Rail route from Helidon to Calvert. PHOTO: Inland Rail

At full capacity, the freight trains will run 50 times day and night with 1.8km-long trains rocketing through the region.

“We are starting to really understand the full impact across our region, including noise, vibration, land use, traffic and transport,” Cr Milligan said.

“This project will have a generational impact on our region and we’re yet to see any meaningful benefits to our community.”

And with construction estimated to take several years, council says the project will also have a direct impact on the region’s road network, with the draft plan indicating a significant increase in construction-based road traffic.

VIEW THE INTERACTIVE INLAND RAIL MAP HERE

The Inland Rail proposal aims to provide a rail network stretching 1700km, linking Melbourne and Brisbane using a combination of new and existing track alignments.

At the council’s meeting in April, councillors voted to use a significant portion of money to thoroughly investigate the draft EIS due to its complexity and size.

FLASHBACK: Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan at the Gatton train station during 2019

The Lockyer Council agreed to spend $96,000 to review the 9000-page document in a bid to protect the community and avoid the region becoming a “transport sewer”.

Cr Milligan said the Lockyer council was committed to seeking the best possible outcome for the community.

“We will make a strong submission, but what we really need is for our residents to express their concerns and lodge a submission of their own,” she said.

Although the EIS is a large document, making a submission is simple.

Anyone with concerns about the Inland Rail project is urged to click here and have their say.