Heavy vehicle congestion, flooding fears in inland rail submission

Two major side-effects expected from the multibillion-dollar inland rail project in its current form will be presented to a Senate inquiry.

BRISBANE roads will be dominated with trucks, creating “significant liveability challenges” by the current Inland Rail proposal, while southern Queensland councils fear flooding concerns have been overlooked, a Senate inquiry will be told.

Scathing submissions to the probe, which has hearings in the state from today, accuse the Australian Rail Track Corporation spearheading the project of a “defiant and arrogant attitude” and running a “tick-a-box” consultation process.

Inland rail would transform Australia

Flooding concerns over the $10 billion rail project

Australian Rail Track Corporation Inland Rail CEO Richard Wankmuller

Port of Brisbane CEO Roy Cummins warned that the plan to stop the freight rail line in Acacia Ridge – 38km from the port – is flawed and will create major congestion headaches for the southeast.

“A future entirely dominated by trucks would lead to significant community and liveability challenges, as well as applying a handbrake to Australia’s export potential to Asian markets,” he said.

Goondiwindi Mayor Graeme Scheu has heavily criticised the ARTC’s consultation process, saying there was a “defiant and arrogant attitude” and an approach to consultation that was just ticking a box.

His council, as well as Lockyer Valley Regional Council and Millmerran Rail Group, have raised concerns over the rail lines route crossing floodplains on the Macintyre and Condamine rivers.

ARTC’s Inland Rail Project boss Richard Wankmuller said they had done extensive amount of modelling to minimise impacts on communities and keep the public safe.

Goondiwindi Mayor Graeme Scheu

“It is sometimes difficult to communicate to everyone about all the details behind what we do and this inquiry will help us make some of this work even more transparent and available,” he said.

He admitted there were issues in the early stages of consultation, but said they were committed to working closely with communities.

“There were times when we didn’t have all the answers and should have been clearer about what information would be available and when,” Mr Wankmuller said.

An Infrastructure Australia report from 2017 noted the Queensland Government anticipated a direct rail connection to the Port of Brisbane would only be needed by 2040.

While there is a dual-gauge railway connecting proposed route’s end at Acacia Ridge to the port, it is unable to accommodate double-stacked freight trains the Inland Rail is expecting.

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King said while Labor supported the project, they held “deep concerns” over fundamental questions on planning and financing.

“There are widespread concerns the Government won’t see an adequate return to justify its ‘off-budget’ $9 billion equity injection,” she said.