There are over 100 rail trails in Australia but legislation has limited the delivery of trails in NSW. We are missing out on tourism, mobility and recreation opportunities while other states have reaped the rewards.
There is great news! Following a campaign by Bicycle NSW and fellow active transport advocates, the NSW Legislative Assembly debated, amended and passed the Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022. The Bill was then approved by the Legislative Council on 12th August. This amendment removes the need for each rail trail proposal to have a separate act of parliament and enables the Minister for Regional Transport to allow derelict tracks to be converted into a rail trail for ‘recreation, tourism or related purposes’.
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is on track to open in January 2023 and will traverse 24km of stunning countryside. We look forward to many more projects getting underway soon!
