Inland rail project to boost NSW Economy

While COVID-19 has brought immense human tragedy to Australia and dealt a severe blow to the nation’s economy, moves are underway to stimulate the business and construction in a post-COVID world.

One such project is the long-term Inland Rail plan, which will see unprecedented transport and logistical links between a number of destinations across southern New South Wales and beyond. Recent reports suggest that the project could bring a much-needed $3.8 billion boost to the gross regional product (GRP) of the area over the next few decades.

Creating jobs and bringing hope back to the region

Here at MAYDAY Blue, we are all about helping tradies and labourers find the work they need and helping contractors find the personnel they require to complete their projects. With this in mind, the livelihoods of people across New South Wales is something that we hold very close to our hearts.

We are very excited by the creation of around 16,000 jobs during the construction phase of the project, plus 670 full-time jobs in southern New South Wales after the network is up and running – something that the area is in desperate need of after COVID-19 exacted its toll on the economy. We are also energised by the potential for other indirect jobs that are likely to spring up around the project, as well as the countless other benefits that the Inland Rail project is likely to bring.

The impact of the Inland Rail project on transport and freight in the area

So, what can we expect from this project? How is it going to revolutionise rail transport and logistics in the area?

• On a broad scale, the network will help Australia meet the growing demand for freight between Brisbane and Melbourne.
• It is anticipated that there will be a 165 per cent increase in demand for freight between these two critical cities in the coming decades.
• At the moment, the existing network just cannot handle this increase due to restrictions on capacity, as well as incompatibility between different rail gauge alignments on the Brisbane to Sydney leg of the journey.
• We can also expect the Inland Rail project to ease the strain placed on the region’s road networks. Currently, much of the freight between Melbourne and Brisbane is carried by road – despite the fact that much of the route is unsuitable for this purpose.
• As such, we will see increases in safety on these stretches of road, as well as a far better experience for other road users.

All in all, this is going to make life much easier for everyone who lives and works in southern New South Wales and beyond. It also gives the region hope for a better, more prosperous future after some troubled times.

The next steps for Inland Rail

The project is well underway, and ground was broken on the construction phase back in 2018. We are still some way from seeing the project completed – the projected finish date for construction is currently 2025. However, in the meantime, we are already seeing the economic benefit of this sprawling project, and this benefit will only increase in the coming years and decades.

We will be bringing you more on the Inland Rail project as it unfolds and as we learn more about what sort of boost it could bring to our region.

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