At its meeting on 14 April, the Cooma Monaro Progress Association (CMPA) has voted unanimously to withdraw all support for the proposed 'rail trail' on the Queanbeyan-Bombala rail corridor on the following grounds:

1. It is obvious there is very minimal support from ratepayers, other stakeholders and the wider community for the rail trail to proceed.

2. There is no evidence of any real benefit to the majority of ratepayers or the wider community and thus it would become a hugely unpopular and financial burdgen on the ratepayers of Snowy Monaro Regional Council if implemented, eg initial estimated construction costs in the vicinity of $450,000/per km.

This would be $93 million for the whole length of 214 km and ongoing maintenance and operating costs. This could run into the millions annually.

3. There are other established organisations that are currently utilising the rail corridor and infrastructures at no cost to council. Eg - the Cooma Monaro Historical Railway and Bombala Heritage Rail, and at the northern end, ACT and Queanbeyan historical rail groups. These groups are all self-funded and at no cost to ratepayers.

The CMPA fully supports these organisations which can co-exist with an active railway, but a rail trail can't.

4. The CMPA fully supports and is actively involved with NSW and ACT transport authorities in the retention of the rail corridor and infrastructure for future modern high speed rail services connection the inland rail to the port of Eden. This would be via Yass, Canberra, Cooma and Bombala.

These high speed trains will be separate freight and passenger services, and will bring huge benefits to the South East and midwest of NSW, and northern Victorian, whilst reducing freight congestions at the existing ports at Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne.

This will take thousands of trucks and cars off our roads and thus reducing CO2 emissions etc. Rail is both efficient and environmentally sustainable, Eden is the third deepest port in Australia.

Cooma to Canberra will only take about 40 minutes at 160km/h for passenger services whilst freight trains will run at 113km/h where possible.

This would be a huge boost to Cooma and Bombala as a place to live and work or commute to Canberra, or to Eden for a day at the beach, or for cruise ship visitors to venture inland and spend some money.

A future high speed railway would be built at no cost to ratepayers, whereas the rail trail would be a huge financial burden, and an impediment to te proposed railway's development.

Given the above, CMPA, suggests that council also withdraw its support for the bike track in the best interests of the ratepayers and the community as a whole.

Barry Bridge

Cooma Monaro Progress Association president