Rail and bus services secure

The NSW Government has no plans to cut CountryLink Explorer rail and bus services to and from Armidale, which provides a public transport option for Tenterfield residents to travel to Sydney.
Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay received the assurance from Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian in response to a question he put to Parliament.
In her reply, the Minister said that, far from cutting services, the government intended to deliver “rural and regional NSW and all the people of NSW the public transport they deserve”.
Mr Torbay said the question was prompted by concerns raised with him by members of the community who had heard that regional rail services were once again on the government radar for cuts.
“There is a history of governments eyeing off our rail services and I can understand why so many people were feeling nervous about it,” he said.
“We staged a massive battle and won it in 2003 when the former Labor Government planned to cut the service to Armidale.
“Prior to that, when Nick Greiner was Liberal Premier, he slashed all the rail services north of Armidale.
“I am encouraged by the assurance that we are no longer a target and that the new government intends to build up public transport services rather than decimate them.”
Mr Torbay said communities across the Northern Tablelands depended on the daily CountryLink Explorer return rail service to Sydney.
They also relied on the connecting CountryLink bus services from Tenterfield via Glen Innes and from Inverell to Armidale as reliable public transport in the region.
“We have to safeguard the few public transport options we have in rural areas, as they are not extensive,” Mr Torbay said.