LAST THURSDAY April 20 Byron Shire Council voted to spend $200,000 on a feasibility study to ascertain best future use of the Shire railway corridor.
Cr Paul Spooner provided Voice of Byron with the background to Thursday’s vote.
“At its meeting on 19 December 2016 Council resolved, under Resolution 16-670, to undertake works to illustrate to the NSW State Government a community wide support for multi-use of the rail corridor within Byron Shire, and to prepare for possible funding opportunities.
Cr Spooner explained, “The resolution supported multi-use of the rail corridor within Byron Shire, defined as dual-use within the rail corridor, comprising public transport provisions in conjunction with a walking and cycling path where feasible.”
The resolution supported developing a consultant’s brief for completing a State and Use of the Rail Corridor report, and an Economic and Social Feasibility report.
These reports were to present a formal, costed and community-supported project within the rail corridor, to achieve local transport and tourism benefits within Byron Shire.
The report – No. 13.15 Multi Use of Rail Corridor Within Byron Shire File No: I2017/453 17-142.
Last Thursday it was resolved:
- That Council review Attachment 1 – Request for Tender – Multi Use Rail Corridor, E2017/25060 prepared by Council staff, and endorse proceeding to Tender utilising this document, following refinement and completion of the tender documents by staff, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
- That Council allocate a budget of $200,000 from the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve to undertake the works identified in the Request for Tender. (Cameron/Richardson).
The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.
Crs Spooner and Hunter voted against the motion.
I don’t believe it will cost $200,000 to do the feasibility study for the Byron Shire section of the line – that must be the maximum possible cost. I enquired a couple of years ago about such a study being undertaken by a major rail construction company and they said it would be $76,000 for their quote on the costing of renewing the whole line.