Almost $1 million will be spent extending the Red Bend rail siding by 480 metres.
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Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Rick Colless has announced a $970,000 spend on the local rail siding as part of the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Rail program.
“The project will increase rail loading capabilities by allowing 24 wagons to be loaded without blocking the main line, shifting 26,600 tonnes of grain onto the rail network,” he said on Friday.
“The improvements will cut delivery times and allow more goods to be transported by rail resulting in lower costs for producers and consumers.”
Mr Colless said that two new points will also be built to connect the extended siding to the existing infrastructure as part of the project.
“This is great news for our area as the increased loading capabilities will reduce costs by up to $5 per tonne for producers and improve road safety by reducing the number of trucks on our roads,” he said.
Mr Colless says the upgrade could take up to 600 trucks a year off the roads, shifting the freight to rail.
Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said the improvements will increase rail loading speeds and reduce freight transport costs for the estimated 210 million tonnes of freight produced by regional NSW each year.
“Given this is expected to increase by 25 per cent in the next 40 years, it is just common sense to be carrying out this important work now,” Mrs Pavey said.
The Fixing Country Rail program complements the Fixing Country Roads initiative, with both focusing on improving freight infrastructure and efficiency across the state.
These programs combined are worth nearly $1 billion.
In related news, the first track on the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project will be laid this year and the first of the 200,000 concrete sleepers required for the Parkes to Narromine section of the project have been delivered.