News & Discussion: Regional Transport

[1NEEDS2POST]

I think the mid-term future for the rail corridor could lie somewhere between all the recent posts on here - how about extending Adelaide Metro services one more stop to Concordia from Gawler Central, integrating the new station with a bus interchange that would serve both LinkSA and private operators? You would then have an idea as to whether restoring any future leisure or commuter rail beyond Concordia would be viable. Certainly with the growth of housing on the Gawler fringe, Concordia could be viable for Adelaide Metro services within the next 10 years.
Also, I think once electrified rail services begin from Gawler Central towards the end of 2021, there will be a renewed push to relieve congestion at the Murray Street crossing, which will only worsen due to the increased popularity of the rail service.

Or a one-station-at-a-time extension of the Gawler line. That way, the upfront cost to the government is low, so if they choose not to continue with extensions, they can stop.

The government is after jobs programs right now, and this one looks pretty straightforward to do. Especially if the Concordia station is built before the level crossing with Barossa Valley Way. All that needs to happen is to repair the track and build a platform at Concordia.

[PeFe]

The Overland really must mean something more to regional Victorians than it does to regional South Australians.
The Vics are stumping up more money to keep the Overland running.

From In Daily

The Overland train set to resume when borders open: reports

The embattled Overland train service between Adelaide and Melbourne is reportedly set to resume when the state border reopens, with the Victorian Government expected to announce it has signed a new funding deal.



Victorian country newspaper, the Stawell Times-News, reported today the Victorian Government had signed a new funding deal with The Overland’s operator, Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions.

“A spokeswoman confirmed the service will be funded for the next three years, today being the day the most recent three-month funding agreement was due to expire,” the paper reported.

“The Victorian government has funded The Overland unilaterally since the South Australian government pulled out of a joint arrangement in December 2018.

“This funding is not contingent on the South Australian government providing any funding, and we will run the train as soon as the border reopens,’ she said.”

The paper reported National Party MP for Lowan Emma Kealy saying: “This news is testament to the amazing community support for the campaign to get this crucial service funded. It has been a long, hard road to get to this point, and I am so thrilled that the people of our region will continue to have access to this much-needed rail service, as they deserve to.”

Save the Overland group member Margaret Millington describing the service’s funding for three years as a “fantastic outcome”.

“We are overwhelmed. A special thanks to the Victorian state government and to everyone who made the case for it to continue,” she said.

While JBRE today would not comment to InDaily on the Victorian reports, South Australian Labor leader Peter Malinauskas said he welcomed the Victorian government decision to extend funding to The Overland.

“The Victorian Government’s lifeline for The Overland train is a welcome one – it is an iconic service,” he said.

“Since launching our campaign, SA Labor has been inundated with people who rely heavily on the service, not just for interstate travel – but also for its regional stops.

“The refusal by the Marshall Government to fund The Overland almost killed the service and we know that once train services cease to operate, they often never return.”

InDaily reported on March 30 that the Overland suspended services due to measures to combat coronavirus.

But its future has been under a cloud since 2018, when the SA government withdrew the subsidy it paid to JBRE.

The 135-year-old train service stops at a number of Victorian and SA towns, including Bordertown and Murray Bridge.

After SA pulled its funding, JBRE and the Victorian Government increased their own contributions for 12 months, then agreed to a three-month extension to keep the train running from January 1, 2020, to March 31 while its long-term future was considered.

Despite the March 31 extension deadline, JBRE continued negotiations with the Victorian Government in a bid to secure The Overland’s future.

“The Overland has consistently required Government support which has heavily subsidised significant operational costs to ensure affordability for commuters,” JBRE toldInDaily in March.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/06/30/ ... n-reports/

[SBD]

The Overland really must mean something more to regional Victorians than it does to regional South Australians.
The Vics are stumping up more money to keep the Overland running.

From In Daily

....
Victorian country newspaper, the Stawell Times-News, reported today the Victorian Government had signed a new funding deal with The Overland’s operator, Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions.
...
“Since launching our campaign, SA Labor has been inundated with people who rely heavily on the service, not just for interstate travel – but also for its regional stops.
...
The 135-year-old train service stops at a number of Victorian and SA towns, including Bordertown and Murray Bridge.
...
“The Overland has consistently required Government support which has heavily subsidised significant operational costs to ensure affordability for commuters,” JBRE told InDaily in March.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/06/30/ ... n-reports/

The Overland stops at more places in Victoria than it does in South Australia. They are all larger towns than Bordertown, and Murray Bridge probably has a much better metro bus service for most potential passengers to Adelaide, and "why would anyone want to go to Melbourne?"

I wonder why people are "inundating" SA Labor when the local members for both stops are very safe Liberals (and SA-BEST came second at the last election in both state seats)

I'm sure JBRE have worked out that if they can convince governments to stump up funds, it's better than having to advertise and provide a service that people actually want to use.

Does JBRE offer package deals for Victorian tourists to stop off for a couple of days in each town to make the journey itself like a country holiday for carless grey nomads? That would potentially impact the regional economies in ways that mean the locals don't need to be the ones using the service. Otherwise, the best way to "save the service" is for the people (i.e. us) to get on board and use it.

[Eurostar]

The Overland really must mean something more to regional Victorians than it does to regional South Australians.
The Vics are stumping up more money to keep the Overland running.

From In Daily

....
Victorian country newspaper, the Stawell Times-News, reported today the Victorian Government had signed a new funding deal with The Overland’s operator, Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions.
...
“Since launching our campaign, SA Labor has been inundated with people who rely heavily on the service, not just for interstate travel – but also for its regional stops.
...
The 135-year-old train service stops at a number of Victorian and SA towns, including Bordertown and Murray Bridge.
...
“The Overland has consistently required Government support which has heavily subsidised significant operational costs to ensure affordability for commuters,” JBRE told InDaily in March.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/06/30/ ... n-reports/

The Overland stops at more places in Victoria than it does in South Australia. They are all larger towns than Bordertown, and Murray Bridge probably has a much better metro bus service for most potential passengers to Adelaide, and "why would anyone want to go to Melbourne?"

I wonder why people are "inundating" SA Labor when the local members for both stops are very safe Liberals (and SA-BEST came second at the last election in both state seats)

I'm sure JBRE have worked out that if they can convince governments to stump up funds, it's better than having to advertise and provide a service that people actually want to use.

Does JBRE offer package deals for Victorian tourists to stop off for a couple of days in each town to make the journey itself like a country holiday for carless grey nomads? That would potentially impact the regional economies in ways that mean the locals don't need to be the ones using the service. Otherwise, the best way to "save the service" is for the people (i.e. us) to get on board and use it.

As I've thought for yonks, there should be a stop in Adelaide Hills i.e Balhannah or Aldgate

[mattwinter]

It does make me wonder if now that Victoria is building standard gauge vlocity trains they have at least half a mind to run one along the overland route one day and hence are keeping it going while they work that out. At least to Horsham or something.

[Brucetiki]

The Overland really must mean something more to regional Victorians than it does to regional South Australians.
The Vics are stumping up more money to keep the Overland running.

From In Daily

The Overland train set to resume when borders open: reports

The embattled Overland train service between Adelaide and Melbourne is reportedly set to resume when the state border reopens, with the Victorian Government expected to announce it has signed a new funding deal.



Victorian country newspaper, the Stawell Times-News, reported today the Victorian Government had signed a new funding deal with The Overland’s operator, Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions.

“A spokeswoman confirmed the service will be funded for the next three years, today being the day the most recent three-month funding agreement was due to expire,” the paper reported.

“The Victorian government has funded The Overland unilaterally since the South Australian government pulled out of a joint arrangement in December 2018.

“This funding is not contingent on the South Australian government providing any funding, and we will run the train as soon as the border reopens,’ she said.”

The paper reported National Party MP for Lowan Emma Kealy saying: “This news is testament to the amazing community support for the campaign to get this crucial service funded. It has been a long, hard road to get to this point, and I am so thrilled that the people of our region will continue to have access to this much-needed rail service, as they deserve to.”

Save the Overland group member Margaret Millington describing the service’s funding for three years as a “fantastic outcome”.

“We are overwhelmed. A special thanks to the Victorian state government and to everyone who made the case for it to continue,” she said.

While JBRE today would not comment to InDaily on the Victorian reports, South Australian Labor leader Peter Malinauskas said he welcomed the Victorian government decision to extend funding to The Overland.

“The Victorian Government’s lifeline for The Overland train is a welcome one – it is an iconic service,” he said.

“Since launching our campaign, SA Labor has been inundated with people who rely heavily on the service, not just for interstate travel – but also for its regional stops.

“The refusal by the Marshall Government to fund The Overland almost killed the service and we know that once train services cease to operate, they often never return.”

InDaily reported on March 30 that the Overland suspended services due to measures to combat coronavirus.

But its future has been under a cloud since 2018, when the SA government withdrew the subsidy it paid to JBRE.

The 135-year-old train service stops at a number of Victorian and SA towns, including Bordertown and Murray Bridge.

After SA pulled its funding, JBRE and the Victorian Government increased their own contributions for 12 months, then agreed to a three-month extension to keep the train running from January 1, 2020, to March 31 while its long-term future was considered.

Despite the March 31 extension deadline, JBRE continued negotiations with the Victorian Government in a bid to secure The Overland’s future.

“The Overland has consistently required Government support which has heavily subsidised significant operational costs to ensure affordability for commuters,” JBRE toldInDaily in March.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/06/30/ ... n-reports/

Having travelled on the Overland just before the COVID outbreak, the Overland very much means a lot more to Western Victorian communities than it does for SA.

Our two stations (Murray Bridge and Bordertown) are dilapidated and one would think are actually abandoned. Zero work's been done on these stations for decades.

The Victorian stations, on the other hand, were mostly well utilised (Stawell was the only station skipped on my journey). Nhill even had the protestors out supporting keeping the service. Geelong was the only station that seemed like an oddball station.

[Spotto]

From this weekend’s news. Paywall article.

Freight line from our South-East to Vic would speed economic recovery
A freight rail line connecting the South-East with Victoria would provide a shot in the arm to help the region’s economy recover
The Advertiser. September 6, 2020

A freight rail line connecting the South-East with Victoria would provide a shot in the arm to help the region’s economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic, its proponents say.

It comes as Regional Development Australia (RDA)’s Limestone Coast arm has submitted a report on the proposal to Infrastructure Australia, in a bid to seek political backing for the project.

It would cost roughly $120m-$150m to reinstate the rail line between Mount Gambier and Heywood in southwestern Victoria, the organisation’s chairman Peter Gandolfi said, and would save $15m in freight costs.

A CSIRO report earlier this year found linking the South-East with existing services at Heywood would help local products more efficiently reach major Australian ports and markets.

“If governments are looking at stimulating the economy, the best way to do that is projects that provide not only stimulation through the project stage but a long-term benefit – and this meets both those criteria,” Mr Gandolfi said.

“Not only does it require substantial local works but in the end, it will secure industries in our region and also entice new investment because businesses have that ability to compete with other regions that do have a rail service.”

From Heywood, produce could easily be shipped to other ports and markets, such as Melbourne.

Kimberly Clark’s Millicent mill is expected to be the major beneficiary, but it would also be a win for other sectors such as agriculture.

The RDA hopes Infrastructure Australia’s assessment will lead to the Federal Government funding the project, with support from the SA and Victorian governments.

“While a lot of the product might be coming from here, it would also be a big lift to Victoria because it would put more freight on their lines,” Mr Gandolfi said.

“It also adds work to Victorian ports. There’s an obvious benefit for the Australian economy with the increase in exports.”

The line to Heywood was last used for freight in 1995. The investment to upgrade the Mount Gambier to Heywood line also includes establishing a freight depot on Mount Gambier’s eastern outskirts.

Mount Gambier Council chief executive Andrew Meddle said the project would be a good investment to help move products out of the region and reduce the number of trucks on local roads.

“This is just what a lot of businesses need,” he said.

A spokesman for deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in June the Federal Government announced a $145m joint investment in roads and infrastructure in South Australia, in partnership with the State Government.

“Should the South Australian or Victorian governments identify works to the line between Mount Gambier and Heywood as a priority, federal funding would be considered through usual budget processes,” he said.

Transport Minister Corey Wingard said work was underway to investigate upgrades to the Princes Highway corridor worth more than $250m, jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments.

“The Marshall Government is investing more than $1.1 billion in our regional road network including safety upgrades to the Riddoch and Dukes Highway,” he said.

[SBD]

For Kimberley-Clark to get the full benefit, the line needs to be reinstated from their factory all the way through to avoid double handling.

For the SA government, it has the problem that this proposal might increase economic activity for export from the Limestone Coast region, but if it does, it's increasing traffic through Victorian ports. There is no decent port in SA that can compete with Portland. The line used to extend to the port at Beachport on Rivoli Bay from 1878 until 1957 but that port cannot support modern shipping.

[SRW]

For Kimberley-Clark to get the full benefit, the line needs to be reinstated from their factory all the way through to avoid double handling.

For the SA government, it has the problem that this proposal might increase economic activity for export from the Limestone Coast region, but if it does, it's increasing traffic through Victorian ports. There is no decent port in SA that can compete with Portland. The line used to extend to the port at Beachport on Rivoli Bay from 1878 until 1957 but that port cannot support modern shipping.

I don't see a problem with Victoria getting the freight traffic. There's no realistic alternative. The win is just getting it off roads for me. But it does mean that the funding should come primarily from the Commonwealth rather than SA.

[eKwatee]

The PW2PA website http://pw2pa.com.au is now live for up-to-date info on the Port Wakefield Overpass & Highway Duplication & the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication.

You can also download the SitePodium App from the App Store or Google Play Store to your smart phone or tablet.

[Eurostar]

The PW2PA website http://pw2pa.com.au is now live for up-to-date info on the Port Wakefield Overpass & Highway Duplication & the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication.

You can also download the SitePodium App from the App Store or Google Play Store to your smart phone or tablet.

So drivers coming from north will have to go around the service stations to enter the service stations ,

[eKwatee]

The PW2PA website http://pw2pa.com.au is now live for up-to-date info on the Port Wakefield Overpass & Highway Duplication & the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication.

You can also download the SitePodium App from the App Store or Google Play Store to your smart phone or tablet.

So drivers coming from north will have to go around the service stations to enter the service stations ,

As per the current plan it looks that way. The owners of the service stations could potentially create an access point from the new road (if permitted) It looks like each of their allotments will abut the new road, I guess it's whether DPTI will permit access points.

[Eurostar]

The PW2PA website http://pw2pa.com.au is now live for up-to-date info on the Port Wakefield Overpass & Highway Duplication & the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication.

You can also download the SitePodium App from the App Store or Google Play Store to your smart phone or tablet.

So drivers coming from north will have to go around the service stations to enter the service stations ,

As per the current plan it looks that way. The owners of the service stations could potentially create an access point from the new road (if permitted) It looks like each of their allotments will abut the new road, I guess it's whether DPTI will permit access points.

I recall one of the managers of a service station in Barossa that had to meet this and that criteria

[SBD]

So drivers coming from north will have to go around the service stations to enter the service stations ,

As per the current plan it looks that way. The owners of the service stations could potentially create an access point from the new road (if permitted) It looks like each of their allotments will abut the new road, I guess it's whether DPTI will permit access points.

I recall one of the managers of a service station in Barossa that had to meet this and that criteria

I see no reason not to have access from both sides. The challenge will be in ensuring that the service stations do not become a shortcut/rat run for access between Balaklava Road and Port Wakefield township. East and West bowsers with no connecting road would be one possibility, if none of them have drive-through takeaways.

[1NEEDS2POST]

For Kimberley-Clark to get the full benefit, the line needs to be reinstated from their factory all the way through to avoid double handling.

For the SA government, it has the problem that this proposal might increase economic activity for export from the Limestone Coast region, but if it does, it's increasing traffic through Victorian ports. There is no decent port in SA that can compete with Portland. The line used to extend to the port at Beachport on Rivoli Bay from 1878 until 1957 but that port cannot support modern shipping.

I don't see a problem with Victoria getting the freight traffic. There's no realistic alternative. The win is just getting it off roads for me. But it does mean that the funding should come primarily from the Commonwealth rather than SA.

I hope they include passenger trains from Mount Gambier to Melbourne.