Brisbane, Logan residents won’t give up inland rail project fight
State Government gestures have been labelled “political play” and “a stopgap” measure by outraged residents impacted by the inland rail project in southeast Queensland.
Southeast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Southeast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
BRISBANE and Logan residents impacted by the $10 billion interstate inland rail project refuse to give up fighting to stop the route from going through their backyards.
The 1700km freight corridor realignment will connect Brisbane and Melbourne and will impact more than 50,000 people on the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton section with freight trains running past homes, businesses, parks and schools.
Suburbs such as Brisbane’s Parkinson, Algester and Acacia Ridge and Logan’s Hillcrest, Forestdale, Boronia Heights and Flagstone are among those that will impacted.
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: SIGN UP FOR 12 MONTHS AND RECEIVE A SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB A 8.0 (MIN COST $390)
Amid concerns of residents about the long-term health risks of exposure to coal dust and the constant noise and vibration from the 24/7 transportation cycle, the Queensland Government last week gave Prime Minister Scott Morrison a list of demands for the controversial inland rail project and a new petition was started.
But residents say these gestures were merely a “political play” and “a stopgap measure” and more needed to be done to stop this project from impacting “people’s lives and future”.
Algester resident took to the Southern Star’s Facebook page to share his thoughts on the matter.
“Can (Member for Algester) Leeanne Enoch MP please explain how delaying coal trains through Parkinson/Algester until a route to Port (of Brisbane) is solved for inland rail, represents a good outcome for residents?” he wrote.
“At best it’s a temporary reprieve that offers no long-term hope for our community.
“In essence your whole premise is logically flawed. On the one hand you are saying 40-plus freight trains is unacceptable for these communities … until that is you (Feds, ARTC), find a complete route to Port … at which point the 40-plus double-stacked trains and 12 coal trains per day are fine to go through these same suburbs?
“Furthermore ARTC confirmed that the route chosen for Queensland was selected by the current Labor Government and given to the Federal Government’s inland rail committee.
“I look forward to including all of this in submission to the newly announced Senate inquiry into the inland rail. Hopefully the inquiry illuminates to the public how governments at all levels have let down their communities in this project.”
Ms Enoch says on the petition page “the inland rail project is one of the most significant issues affecting our community”.
“I have written to residents, held community barbecues, attended community meetings, written to the ARTC and Federal LNP Infrastructure Ministers, and met with the CEO of the ARTC (Richard Wankmuller) to put our case forward,” she wrote.
Inland Rail Action Group spokeswoman Suz Corbett replied saying the inland rail project was “not a political game to the residents”.
“We are talking about people’s lives and future here,” she wrote.
“Let’s wait to see the result of the inquiry and keep the politics out.
“Perhaps Leeanne (Enoch MP) can help by enforcing all ARTC works cease on the line until the results of the inquiry.”
Last week’s story also caused a flurry of conversation on questnews.com.au, with locals putting their two cents worth in.
One person, known only as Greg on the website, said trains reduced the amount of trucks using our roads which was a positive thing.
“Each train is about 110 B-doubles off the road,” he said.
Another person, who goes by Patrick on the website said: “Recently analysed rail transport cost of sending north NSW agriculture to east coast seaports (show) it is much cheaper and faster to (send via) rail to (the) Port of Melbourne than it is to multimodal to the much closer Port of Brisbane. And that won’t change with inland rail while the Port of Brisbane remains disconnected from NSW by rail.”
Another user, known only as Dah on the website, said sarcastically: “Stop the rail and just have a heavy vehicle road corridor to carry the containers. How green would that not be and how noisy the trucks would be day in and day out. We need the rail link to reduce the trucks, damage to the highways and to save lives, but as usual they (government) just don’t get it!”
A man named Campbell, while not an expert on the subject, had some very specific views on the coal side of the project.
“The coal is not “uncovered” but has a plastic veneer sprayed over the top that effectively seals in all dust,” he wrote.
“The noise levels from the double-header coal trains may be noticeable but certainly is not disruptive to normal sleep patterns. I live within 600 metres of the main corridor to Port of Brisbane and never notice the tens of coal and freight trains every day.
Annie added: “From what I have read from a Queensland State Government report, the veneer does not effectively seal in all dust.
“Nor does it address the residual coal in unloaded wagons during transit, nor the coal leakage from the door of wagons and coal deposited on sills, shear plates and bogies of wagons during loading can be deposited in the rail corridor,
“Residents along the Kagaru-Acacia Ridge corridor chose to (build) their homes where coal trains have never been transported. Homes have been allowed to be built closer to this rail corridor and will inevitably be impacted by increased noise, vibration, dust — all affecting our current liveability.”
Police launch investigation after armed raid at tobacco store overnight
An armed raid was carried out overnight at a shopping centre in Brisbane’s south, in which two armed men allegedly escaped with cash and cigarettes.
Thrills, spills and face-plants: Inside our wildest King’s Birthday event
Looking for some wild and wonderful action this King’s Birthday weekend? We have a perfect solution for you.