AusRAIL, Market Sectors

Seminar to consider regional rail freight options

<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Charles Sturt University in association with Blayney Shire Council &amp Lachlan Regional Transport Committee is hosting a half day seminar on Friday 10 May 2013 to focus on what freight railways can offer to regional areas and how railways interstate and overseas have been revived for national as well as local benefit. </span> <p>The ‘Regional Rail Revival’ seminar has been organized with the support of the Cowra , Harden Weddin and Young local councils and follows the initiative taken by five local councils to investigate the re-opening of the railway line south from Blayney to Demondrille, a project currently under consideration by the New South Wales Government.</p><p>Conference organizer, Associate Professor Ian Gray says that the cooperative process, involving state and local government, has revealed a potentially viable railway worthy of revival.</p><p>“It has also demonstrated the potential of regional railways and laid the ground for partnerships between industry and all levels of government. The seminar will offer an update on this process and discuss how the Blayney-Demondrille model can be applied in different situations,” he said.</p><p>Keynote speaker at the Regional Rail Revival seminar is Mr Ed Zsombor, Director of Rail Services, Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, where the Province has played a key role in working with grain producers and handlers, along with rail operators, to develop strategies that ensure a significant percentage of the regional grain harvest remains on rail.</p><p>Other speakers include:</p><ul><li>Councillor Gordon Bradbery OAM, Lord Mayor of the City of Wollongong</li><li>Mr Bryan Nye, CEO Australasian Railway Association</li><li>Mr Frank Lander, Senior Policy Officer, Department of Transport Victoria</li><li>Associate Professor Ian Gray, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University</li></ul><p>The Regional Rail Revival seminar is being held at the Blayney Community Centre, Blayney, New South Wales on Friday 10 May 2013 from 9.30 am – 12.30pm.</p><p>Registration is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP by Thursday May 2 to Anne McKellar at <a href="mailto:amckellar@blayney.nsw.gov.au">amckellar@blayney.nsw.gov.au</a>. Program inquiries can be directed to Ian Gray at <a href="mailto:igray@csu.edu.au">igray@csu.edu.au</a></p>