Mayor applauds regional rail funding but the Shire needs more

Tuesday 27 June 2017

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Carolyn Crossley welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement on providing funding to revive Gippsland’s regional rail network, including $95 million to replace the Avon River Bridge at Stratford, but she says the Shire needs more investment to improve services to and from Sale.

Mayor Crossley says: “We are delighted that the Federal Government has now provided the funds to the state government to improve our rail. We have met our local Federal Member Darren Chester on several occasions recently to discuss Gippsland’s rail needs and the importance of partnership between the state and federal governments to fund these projects. It is really good news that funding has been made available to improve regional rail services, and we thank both Darren and the state government for understanding this need. However, we still need investment into the rail services that come out to Sale and Bairnsdale, as these remain the slowest in the Gippsland region. We will continue to advocate to the federal and state governments for improved transport links across Wellington Shire to meet the expectations of members of the community, businesses, residents and visitors.”

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