NEWCASTLE rail community group Save Our Rail says the NSW government needs Parliament’s authority to cut the rail line on Boxing Day.
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Save Our Rail president Joan Dawson has written to Minister for Transport and Minister for the Hunter Gladys Berejiklian to draw attention to s99A of the Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW).
The act says the a rail infrastructure owner must not, unless authorised by an Act of Parliament, close a railway line.
A railway line is deemed closed if the land concerned is sold or otherwise disposed of or the railway tracks and other works concerned are removed.
Ms Dawson said it was ‘‘quite clear that section 99A exists to ensure that any minister and Transport for New South Wales has the authorisation of Parliament prior to removing public railway infrastructure’’.
In late November NSW Premier Mike Baird informed a Parliamentary Inquiry on Hunter developments that the cost of delaying the closure would be $220,000 per week.
In her letter to Ms Berejiklian, Ms Dawson said ‘‘it would be most unfortunate if legal action was required’’, given the divisiveness associated with the rail line closure.
An interim report from the Parliamentary inquiry on Hunter developments is due to be released sometime this week, with the final report due to be released March 5.
