January 31, 2020
Three councils have joined forces to form an alliance as the next step towards making passenger rail from Brisbane to Toowoomba a reality.
Lockyer Valley Regional Council has joined forces with Toowoomba Regional Council and Ipswich City Council to form the Ipswich to Toowoomba Passenger Rail Alliance.
The three councils have invited key industry representatives to join the alliance, including participants from universities, defence, health and tourism.
The Federal Government has provided $15 million for a business case examining passenger rail from Toowoomba to Brisbane.
Lockyer Valley mayor Tanya Milligan said the alliance was vital to ensure the needs and interests of local communities were a priority.
“We want to ensure our local communities are adequately included in the business case, so we’re seeking active involvement from key sectors across Council regions in that process,” she said.
Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said further meetings with industry groups within the region would be held in the coming weeks to gather their support.
“Faster regular passenger rail between Brisbane and Toowoomba via Ipswich is vital for the future of the wider region, especially in providing reliable access to employment, tertiary education, specialist health services and tourism opportunities,” he said.
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