For it appears that the days of the XPT service are numbered.  

The Liberal/National Party government of this state has neglected to put in place a program to replace the ageing rolling stock.

Now one would have thought that with Messrs Toole (Bathurst), Gee (Orange) and Grant (Dubbo) being members of the present Liberal/National Party government and all members of the National Party (the so-called friend of regional Australia), they would have been ensuring that the XPT service was guaranteed into the future. But not a word about the future of the XPT from any of these National Party members.   

What an opportunity for the Labor Party to challenge the National Party on the XPT issue. But not a word.

Of course, at the heart of the problem is that transport in New South Wales is in the hands of the Liberal Party. So the Liberal Party is making sure that its followers in Sydney (where the vast majority of voters live) are rewarded with new train services, new railway stations and new rolling stock.    

The Premier and the Transport Minister (both Liberal Party members) are seen relentlessly on television parading their new railway “toys”.

The National Party must show some backbone on the XPT issue and give a firm commitment and guarantee that the XPT services in New South Wales remain and are enhanced.   Even if this means taking on and standing up to their Liberal Party Coalition mates.

Rail is a safe, comfortable and efficient means of public transport. People in regional and rural New South Wales are entitled to a modern and efficient passenger rail service.   

Governments have an obligation to provide public transport just as they do with hospitals and police stations.

It is just not good enough to say we can bundle people onto buses rather than provide a decent rail service. The last thing we need is more buses on our roads.

Bill Walsh, Orange