Deputy PM confirms Inland Rail route review set to be finalised
A Federal Government route review into the Condamine Floodplain section of the Inland Rail is being finalised.
Development
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A ROUTE review of the border to Gowrie section of the Inland Rail project is being finalised by the Federal Government.
After years of pressure from landholders, the Federal Government in May announced it would re-examine the proposed state border to Gowrie route of the Inland Rail project, which travelled across the Condamine Floodplain.
Residents and landholders on the Condamine Floodplain between Millmerran and Brookstead have long opposed the proposed route, warning the current path would exacerbate flooding.
The review was set to examine moving the route slightly west through state-owned forestry.
No deadline was given for the review when it was announced.
A spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack confirmed the review was being finalised, though no date was given to when it would be published.
“The assessment of a route via Cecil Plains for the Border to Gowrie section is being finalised,” the spokesman said.
“Once complete, reports from this assessment, including the verification undertaken by the independent consultant, will be published on inlandrail.gov.au.”
The update on the review was welcomed by TSBE CEO Ali Davenport.
“This is the most important project for Toowoomba,” Ms Davenport said.
“We need an answer on the route urgently so that we can get this project up and running.
“We ask the minister to finalise the route as urgently as possible so we can get the certainty that investors need so that project can go ahead.”
Ms Davenport said construction of the Inland Rail would generate 2000 construction jobs over several years.
“We also know that this will transform Toowoomba into a transport and logistics hub.
“That will deliver hundreds of ongoing jobs and so much economic growth to this region.
“We know in this COVID-19 uncertainty, jobs are the number one priority.”