<p>The cost of re-opening the Tumut-Cootamundra railway line will be too expensive given the present level of contestable freight, a report has found.</p> <p>The Riverina Regional Development Board said the Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC) commissioned a report into the economics of rebuilding the line to assist with the huge increase in road freight in the region since the opening of Visy pulp and paper mill at Tumut in November, 2001.</p> <p>The board’s executive officer, Peter Dale said the relevant shire councils have still to consider TMG International’s report, but it looks unlikely the line would be economically viable unless the contestable freight market doubled in size.</p> <p>"That’s a long way off. It’s pretty much put a damper on it," Mr Dale said.</p> <p>"They did say it might have been feasible to build the line at the same time as the construction of the mill, but it’s a bit late for that now." </p> <p>Mr Dale said the board believed that there is an environmental, social and economic cost involved in not re-opening the line.</p> <p>"There is the damage to the roads and disruption in what is a very busy tourist area," he said. </p> <br />
