State forced to change plans on rural freight

The state government is looking to reopen three old railway lines in the wheatbelt after admitting that road upgrades needed to lift freight capacity would not be completed ahead of this year's harvest.

However the government has also acknowledged that it doesn't know if the rail lines can be brought back into operation in time.

Today's announcement follows a long-running debate over the future of so-called 'tier 3' rail lines - the goverment has insisted they should be closed down, despite lobbying by the WA Farmers Federation, rural shires and grain handler CBH Group to keep them open.

Transport Minister Troy Buswell decided instead that the government should upgrade the road network across the wheatbelt, so that more grain can be carried by truck.

Today he admitted today that the state's regional road upgrade program was not at a point where the network could carry the extra traffic.

Mr Buswell said the state government had accelerated its $105 million road upgrade program, but it was not yet at a stage to “satisfactorily service” the 2011-12 grain harvest.

“These changes to the grain freight strategy mean roads that would carry the freight displaced by the unavailability of certain Tier 3 lines will not be ready in time for harvest,” Mr Buswell said.

“As a result the Government is doing two things - accelerating spending for the $105million three-year road upgrade program and investigating the extension of the operational life of three tier 3 wheatbelt rail lines that went into care and maintenance in June this year.

“We are looking at extending the operational life of the Quairading to York; Trayning to West Merredin; and Bruce Rock to Yilliminning lines, and I have asked Brookfield Rail to advise whether it can undertake the required works to have the lines ready.”

Mr Buswell said the extension would only apply to the 2011-12 harvest.

“Main Roads WA will work closely with the relevant local councils to accelerate its upgrade program to ensure State road upgrades are completed by April 2013, a year ahead of the current program,” he said.

“I expect the roads will be completed to a satisfactory standard to carry freight during the 2012-13 harvest.”

CBH Group welcomed the announcement and said with an expected record-breaking harvest this year, an anticipated 2 million tonnes of grain would be transported along Tier 3 lines.

It said the challenge now is for CBH and growers to utilise those lines and demonstrate their support for their continuing operation.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure these lines are operational for the upcoming harvest and working to provide a safer and more efficient system for our growers to transport their grain to port.”