VOTERS have long memories, which is why it is important for The Nationals that the Coalition’s pledge to replace the ageing XPT fleet lays out a concrete timetable for choosing a replacement and ordering the engines and rolling stock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As one elderly rail traveller was quick to point out to this newspaper yesterday, talk of a tilt train and faster travelling times to Sydney is almost as old as the XPT trains themselves.
But make no mistake, if the Coalition delivers on the promise to bring rail travel in the Central West into the 21st century it really will be the game changer deputy premier Troy Grant described in Dubbo on Sunday.
The announcement at the launch of The Nationals’ campaign explains the evasive response from the Transport Minister’s office earlier in the week, when this newspaper asked what the government was going to do about replacing the XPT.
When it came on Sunday, the response was almost as good as you could expect during an election campaign - a promise to invest $1 billion in revitalising regional rail with modern trains.
The only thing better would have been dates for letting tenders, placing orders and taking delivery.
Still, Mr Grant did the next best thing yesterday when he promised the XPT service would not be replaced with coaches, even temporarily, while the trains were being built.
A tilt train or other modern technology which can slash almost an hour off the horrendous 4 hour and 40 minute XPT journey from Orange to Sydney will breathe new life into a transport network which should be the preferred option for many travellers.
The train announcement, together with major road improvements flagged for the region, indicate the Coalition realises just how important transport policy will be in the regional election campaign.
