The northern part of New England includes towns such as Guyra, Glen Innes and Tenterfield. In between there are villages like Black Mountain, Ben Lomond, Glencoe, Deepwater as well as Wallangarra near the Queensland border.
Many residents in these towns and villages prefer to go north for their medical and other needs to places like Toowoomba and Brisbane. However, due to poor public transport services, they have been compelled to find other solutions that are not suitable for this day and age .e.g. drive or find someone to drive them if sick or elderly. Not all can do so.
Residents have been writing letters to their MPs, Transport for NSW (TFNSW) and even Ministers about this problem. However, there seem to be a culture within the NSW Government and even TFNSW for buck passing instead of finding solutions.
Before the pandemic, there were direct coaches between Sydney and Brisbane via towns such as Tamworth, Armidale, Glen Innes and Tenterfield. They ceased operations during the pandemic. Currently there is only a daily coach between Tenterfield and Armidale station to connect with Sydney bound XPT. However, the train takes more than 8 hours to reach Sydney. Imagine someone from Tenterfield spending over 10 hours in the coach and train to come and see a specialist doctor in Sydney including at least two nights’ accommodation?
In October 2023, 10740 residents of NSW (7000 from Northern Tablelands) signed a petition seeking the restoration of train services from Armidale to Jennings/Wallangarra near the border. It was debated in the NSW Legislative Assembly in February 2024. While the Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison was sympathetic to the idea, she dug her heels by demanding the proponents of petition to submit a business case. It appears that this is the standard way NSW Government do business when it comes to transport infrastructure.
Community organisations like Trains North do not have hundreds and thousands of dollars to engage transport consultants to do business cases. Many residents are asking why is it that the Government is asking communities to fund business cases when it should be the responsibility of the Government to do such tasks? There are other instances when the Government funded such business cases.
The NSW Government is in the process of developing a Strategic Integrated Regional Transport Plan (SIRTP) for New England-Northwest. TFNSW plans to finalise this in early 2026 after consulting stakeholders. Recently it organised a public forum in Glen Innes, and while this is a commendable step, people in northern New England need interim relief. They want at least regular bus services connecting their towns and villages so that they can access better services. Armidale is serviced by a daily train service from Sydney and air services as well. On the top it has a good bus service in the town. However, those from outer locations have no comfort from such operations unless they can drive or someone else drive them to Armidale.
Local councils in Armidale and Glen Innes have not been good advocates of public transport over the years either. They had been more focused on removing the existing train line north of Armidale and building a bike track called New England Rail Trail (NERT). Recently the funding agencies that had approved about 14m to build this rail trail withdrew the grants. As a result, the project is in limbo. However, ardent supporters of the NERT have not given up their pipe dream. If this project goes ahead one day, it will be counterproductive in terms of providing public transport so that New England is connected with South East Queensland and Brisbane by rail.
As the federal election is approaching, residents are focusing again about candidates who listen to their plight. So far, no candidate from any major party has committed to take up the issue about poor public transport and restoration of train service with the Federal Government?
Nonetheless, there are very good reasons to have another serious look at the northern railway line when governments are attempting to reduce carbon emissions from the transport sector. Though some in TFNSW and NSW government emphasise the Inland rail as a solution, its progress in Queensland sector has stalled. There is no completion date in sight. Current Labor government has prioritised the section between Melbourne and Parkes. Freight from Queensland to Sydney are being carted on road by trucks. Road repair bill is rising as are the accidents on roads.
Elections come and go. So do the ministers and transport officials. People’s problems continue as if there are no governments to look after their interests? People are demanding that at least the Federal Government examine this issue and talk to the NSW Government about a future solution.
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