RAIL PLAN OFF TRACK

■ Release of business case for new passenger line delayed until 2025 ■ State government department refuses to make initial report public

TOOWOOMBA’S dream of a passenger rail to Brisbane could be derailed for years, with a business case unlikely to be released to the public until 2025.

Mayor Paul Antonio and his mayoral colleagues in the Lockyer Valley and Ipswich are demanding answers after it was revealed the Toowoomba to Brisbane strategic passenger rail report completed by the state government this year won’t be made available.

Instead, it’s understood findings on the viability and costs of a new passenger route west will be unveiled in a detailed business case, now slated for three years from now.

A MAJORITY of candidates running for Groom in the upcoming election have promised to fast-track passenger rail to Toowoomba, including both major parties.

Labor’s Gen Allpass (pictured) and sitting LNP member Garth Hamilton both backed the connection from Brisbane to Toowoomba, which has been discussed for years but is in danger of being bogged down in bureaucracy. It comes as a new survey of more than 300 Groom voters revealed fast or passenger rail was the number one local project they wanted delivered by the next Federal Government.

This changes based on which candidate the respondent indicated support for, with likely voters of Ms Allpass, independents Suzie Holt and Kirstie Smolenski, the Greens’ Mickey Berry and United Australia Party’s Melissa Bannister also selecting it most often.

In contrast, supporters of Mr Hamilton and One Nation’s Grant Abraham preferred the delivery of a new dam or extra water security.

Mr Hamilton and Mr Abraham both said they supported the concept but wanted Inland Rail delivered first.

Ms Holt, Ms Smolenski and Ms Bannister all indicated support to some extent for a passenger rail line.

Berry and Australian Federation Party’s Ryan Otto were contacted for comment.

For full comments from candidates, head online to thechronicle.com.au.