Question On Notice No. 2659 asked in the Legislative Council on 30 October 2019 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Transport
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the rail
line between Narrogin and Pinjarra, and I ask:
(a) who owns the line;
(b) who has control of
the line, for what term and under what conditions;
(c) when was the lines condition last assessed;
(d) what is the current load
rating of the line;
(e) has the State
Government undertaken any analysis or assessment of returning the line to
operation for freight; and
(f) if yes to (e), please
table any such analysis or assessment?
Answered on 3 December 2019
(a) The rail line is owned by the State Government.
(b) The section of line from Dwellingup to Alumina Junction is under the control of the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway until 2022 under the terms of the Alumina Junction – Dwellingup Tourist Railway Order 1997. The section of line between Narrogin and Dwellingup is closed.
(c)-(d) The Dwellingup to Alumina Junction section of line is the responsibility of the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway.
(e) A portion of the rail line north of Boddington to Dwellingup was considered for the “West East Rail Feasibility Study”.
(f) The “West East Rail Feasibility Study” is publically available on the Parliament of Western Australia website as it was considered by the Economics and Industry Standing Committee in relation to their past ‘Inquiry into the Management of Western Australia’s Freight Rail Network’.