Let’s get aboard a train trial

PAUL Jacob’s suggestion of a passenger train service linking the CBD with Townsville’s northern and southern suburbs may seem fanciful on the surface but it is a proposal that should not be dismissed out of hand.

While Townsville’s road congestion is very minor compared with capital cities, a plan to take more cars off our roads and provide convenient access to the CBD is worth investigating.

Residents of our northern beaches can attest to the annoying delays during peak hours while trying to commute into the city.

And the roads to our south will become more and more congested in the years to come as residential development booms in that area with the growth of estates like Elliot Springs.

The massive housing estate is forecast to have a population of 26,000 in the coming decades. The suburbs to the north of Townsville will also continue to expand in the years ahead.

A feasibility study into the need for a commuter train service would likely find the population numbers could not sustain it at present.

However, Cr Jacob’s suggestion of a trial using existing lines should be given serious consideration.

It makes more sense to plan now for a service which will be needed in the future rather than put it on ice until it is actually needed. By then providing the infrastructure needed, including train stations and parking, may be problematic.

Cr Jacob has support from Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Mayor Jenny Hill who said the use of rail had to be given serious consideration when discussing the city’s future public transport options.

Hopefully, Cr Jacob’s proposal starts a conversation that leads to a regular rail service which would greatly benefit the city.

It will become a necessity at some stage in the future.

Taking exploratory steps now will make its eventual implementation a smoother process.