Kalgoorlie transport hub the key, Crook
Author: Tony Crook
Published on: 09-July-2008
The Nationals candidate for Kalgoorlie Tony Crook is putting the issues of a major transport hub and northern bypass firmly back on the agenda as part of his campaign for the State election.
Mr Crook said he was “fed up” with reading news stories on continual State government spending on improved transport systems in the capital city, yet not in regional WA.
“We've watched as our royalty dollars continually get swallowed up on infrastructure in Perth, yet here in a major regional city we are being overlooked,” he said.
“There's a great solution right under our noses and yet our Government is refusing to spend any money out here to effect any real change.”
Mr Crook said with a large amount of development occurring now in the City's northern sector, especially with the release of new blocks of land near Karlkurla Park and the Golf Course estate, it was even more imperative to develop a major transport hub which would be another string in the Goldfields' bow.
“It just makes sense to move the railway line out of the centre of town, develop a transport hub and keep traffic away from urban areas,” he said.
“Freight could and should be off-loaded here in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. I constantly hear the frustration of business owners who sit waiting at the Throssell Street rail crossing watching sea containers pass them by with their products as they head to Perth and then have to come back to Kal by road.”
Mr Crook said other benefits to the proposal would be more land in the city centre freed up for development.
“Land Corp has already sold lots off down the existing rail corridor so there should be no reason why the rest cannot be made available to help fund the project,” he said.
“There is land available at West Kal and through to the Leonora Highway that can be utilised. Maybe we just have to wait for the Anzac Drive Rogue Road builders to get fed up and build it for them which would clearly be an alternative for this Labor Government so they can save the money for city projects.”
