Re: Speedrail would have spin-off for border region

[mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly)]

On Sat, 21 Oct 2000 08:44:35 +1000, "Peter Parker"
<parkerp@alphalink.com.au> wrote:

>
>James C. <james_ccj@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>8slv15$7e2$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8slv15$7e2$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
>> In article <tctH5.28$gG.6358@news0.optus.net.au>,
>>   dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage) wrote:
>> > The Speedrail company says a very high speed train from Melbourne to
>> > Sydney would bring great economic benefits to Albury-Wodonga.
>> >
>> > http://www.abc.net.au/news/regionals/goulburn/monthly/regwod-
>> 19oct2000-4.htm
>> >
>>
>> Albury/Wodonga would become a suburban of Melbourne, increase
>> employment rate around that region, after all, who wants to live in
>> those expensive and noisy highrise apartment in Melbourne CBD??
>
>ie a dormitory suburb.  Maybe the residential population would increase, but
>some of the more specialised retail shops & businesses may close if the
>train
>encourages local residents to go to Melbourne rather than shop locally.
>In the longer term, the range of items available locally would decline
>(and/or
>the number of outlets would fall - lessening competition and increasing
>prices).
>The effect would be similar to the impact of the car and good roads on small
>country towns over the last 50 years.
>
>And, I haven't mentioned the effect on jobs, though this might be offset by
>increases in areas such as supermarkets and general retail if the population
>increases.  People are hardly going to jump on a train for everyday basics.
>
>So I'm somewhat sceptical about people who claim huge economic benefits
>from railways.
>
>Peter
>
>
>
Its a good argument , and a similar situation exists with Canberra
becoming a dormitory suburb of Sydney as the travel times make it
quite possible.
What is conveniently ignored is that the fares for the high speed
train make it totally untenable for commuting , either from Wagga to
Melb or Canberra to Sydney.
Would you pay in excess of $100 each way to go shopping in Melb from
Wagga,or commute to Sydney from Canberra at a cool cost of $1000 per
week.
No one will,and for this reason hi speed trains will simply replace
plane journeys.

In Europe and Japan ,the situation is slightly diferent to Australia
as the capital cost of the hi speed infrastructure , ie the track is
borne by the Govt,as the Govt owns the tracks and the trains so the
fare revenue only needs to cover operational costs.
In Australia fares will have to cover both operational costs,the
capital cost of the track , plus the interest bill on the capital ,so
they will be high.

MD

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