Clyde rail plan rejected

By Jim Mynard
CASEY Council was quick to say no to forcing a freight railway corridor through the Clyde township.
In a report sent to the State and Federal Governments late last year, the council said it would support development of the Port of Hastings, but not the Port of Hastings Corporation plan to build a railway line through Clyde.
Casey mayor Colin Butler confirmed this during an address to 500 people at a residents’ protest meeting in the Cranbourne Hall last Wednesday.
Cr Butler said feeling was so strong about the proposal and the public meeting was the biggest he could remember being held at Cranbourne.
He said the City of Casey supported development of the port, but had advised both governments that it was opposed to the route chosen for a new railway.
“We do not support this Clyde rail link. We believe the rail transport should be taken along the Western Port Highway corridor.”
This drew applause from the audience.
Cr Butler said a longstanding government policy was to keep all transport services together.
He said the government plan was not to have something stuck in the middle of the present layout.
“The rail transport needed for the port can be built along existing easements.
“Also, this new proposal would be 25 kilometres longer than the present easements.
“The Henry Bolte Government many years ago put the Western Port easement in place to service the Hastings port.
“Now, with this new proposal we have 200 Casey residents being threatened with the imposition of an overlay on their properties. That’s not fair.
“We would also have others outside the 500metre easement placed at a disadvantage.”
Cr Butler said there was a need to attract industry to the region and this would come if the port development went ahead, but authorities must consider the concerns people have about this chosen transport link.
He said the City of Casey would work with other councils in the area and would discuss with the Port of Hastings Corporation about where the rail link should be placed.
“We are aware of resident concern over this issue,” he said.