North East Rail Alliance and the ARTC Inland Rail Project Contents 1 Introduction to the North East Rail Alliance
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North East Rail Alliance and the ARTC Inland Rail Project Contents 1 Introduction to the North East Rail Alliance ....................................................................................... 1 Euroa Connect Issues and Reccomendations ..................................................................................... 3 Better Benalla Rail Issues and Recommendations ............................................................................ 10 Glenrowan Improvers considerations. ............................................................................................... 18 North East Rail Alliance media release February 2021 ..................................................................... 22 North East Rail Alliance media release March 2021 ......................................................................... 23 The purpose and aims of the NE Rail Alliance. The North East Rail Alliance (NERA) was formed in late 2020 and represents the local rail action groups, Euroa Connect, Better Benalla Rail, Glenrowan Improvers and the Wangaratta Rail Action Group. The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) plan to run 1.8 km long, double-stacked freight trains from Brisbane to Melbourne. The trains will utilize the XPT standard gauge line in North East Victoria. This will require major changes to several station precincts, including Euroa, Benalla and Glenrowan where these trains will not fit under the existing overpass bridges. The Alliance was formed in response to seemingly impenetrable difficulties with the ARTC that have existed since 2018 and the lack of action by the local Councils to ensure community views were represented in the Inland Rail Project planning process. 1 NERA was established with the following aims: • To have a stronger and unified voice about the impact of the Inland Rail project on our local communities and station precincts. • To garner the support of each Council to achieve better local solutions for each town and station precinct. • For local Councils and State and Federal Governments to embrace the opportunity and synergy the inland rail project can provide for our towns. • To provide our State and Federal MPs with a stronger case in representing community concern and involvement. • To petition the State Government to take action about our station precinct design, amenity and functionality. • For State Government to provide the services of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect in the design work. • To provide support to each community in dealing with the ARTC. • For each town to continue independently with their own local community engagement, planning and activities The North East Rail Alliance responds to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport reference in respect of the management of the Inland Rail project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth Government. We note the Terms of Reference include: a. financial arrangements of the project; b. route planning and selection processes; c. connections with other freight infrastructure, including ports and intermodal hubs; d. engagement on route alignment, procurement and employment; e. urban and regional economic development opportunities; f. collaboration between governments; g. interaction with National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy; and h. any other related matters. 2 Euroa Connect – the ARTC and the Euroa railway precinct Contents 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Recommendations to the Senate Standing Committee from Euroa Connect .................................... 5 Euroa Connect: general issues ............................................................................................................ 5 The ARTC’s infrastructure proposal – a bigger, longer bridge ........................................................ 5 The opportunity postCovid – infrastructure which connects and revitalises ................................. 6 ARTC’s failure to consult ................................................................................................................. 6 ARTC’s failure to provide information ............................................................................................ 7 Responding specifically to terms of reference ................................................................................... 7 Terms of Reference a: financial considerations .............................................................................. 7 Terms of Reference d: proper engagement .................................................................................... 7 Terms of Reference e: obtaining the best economic development opportunities. ....................... 9 Terms of Reference h: ARTC’s failure to properly consider options other than the preferred ARTC option. ................................................................................................................................... 9 3 Executive Summary Euroa Connect supports the building of an underpass which, • Reunites the town with the removal of the overpass and creation of a green precinct (Euroa Township Strategy theme 2), • Establishes a town centre and the potential of an environment for arts, culture and events in the existing heritage railway buildings (Euroa Township Strategy Theme 3), • Emphasises the historical importance of the town and its buildings (Euroa Township Strategy Theme 4), • Offers the opportunity for investment and job creation (Euroa Township Strategy Theme 1), • Creates a vibrant gateway across the town and beyond, • Repurposes unused and vacant public land for leisure and recreation purposes and • Creates a solution which is more readily repurposed in the future. Introduction Euroa Connect1 responds to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport reference in respect of the management of the Inland Rail project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth Government. Euroa Connect is an informal community group. We provide this submission as one component of the North East Rail Alliance’s (NERA) submission. We are joining with Glenrowan, Benalla and Wangaratta in expressing our opposition to the ARTC’s proposals for our towns. We note the Terms of Reference include: i. financial arrangements of the project; j. route planning and selection processes; k. connections with other freight infrastructure, including ports and intermodal hubs; l. engagement on route alignment, procurement and employment; m. urban and regional economic development opportunities; n. collaboration between governments; o. interaction with National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy; and p. any other related matters. 1 Euroa Connect is made up of people who have lived in Euroa for generations; those who have moved to the town in the last 40 years; tree changers; and young families looking for the benefits enjoyed in rural settings. Its members have architecture and design, logistics, and legal and other skills. 4 Recommendations to the Senate Standing Committee from Euroa Connect We recommend - 1. That the Senate Standing Committee notes the view expressed by Euroa Connect that inadequate community consultation and information processes have taken place with regard to the replacement of the existing Anderson Street Overpass in Euroa 2. That the ARTC be called to account for steamrolling public opinion and that the Senate Standing Committee notes that strategies undertaken by the ARTC have not taken account of the views of the majority of members of the Euroa Working Group (EWG) or the community as a whole 3. That further investigation be undertaken in respect of the • breach of the EWG code of ethics, • the lack of an ARTC compensation policy, • the lack of business cases to examine and support the options which were then disregarded by the ARTC, • the failure to adequately consult and address quality and procedural matters, and • the misrepresentation by the ARTC of their engagement activities. Euroa Connect: general issues We reject the ARTC’s commitment to construct a higher and longer railway bridge on Anderson Street in the middle of our town. We say the ARTC infrastructure proposal • has not been demonstrated to be value for money; • is the outcome of unaccountable and untransparent processes; • is not reflective of best practice community engagement; • is not best post COVID urban design practice, that it does not ‘build back better’, and it fails to respond to the need to connect communities. The ARTC’s infrastructure proposal – a bigger, longer bridge The ARTC’s proposed Anderson Street bridge would replace a structure built in the 1960s. The photo below shows the current railway bridge. The bridge imposes a clear division between residences on the north and south sides of the line and since it was built, without community consultation and agreement, it has diminished house prices and caused businesses to close. All services, shops, churches, schools, sportsgrounds, medical practices, the hospital, the police and fires stations, and most heritage buildings are on the south side of the bridge. The current bridge represents a disconnect. It is clearly good policy post COVID to seek to remedy that issue. The ARTC is unconcerned with that leadership opportunity, or with the impact