Fears grain rail woes 'pounding' roads - ABC Online

Posted November 08, 2012 14:28:55

The Balonne Shire Mayor says local roads are suffering because grain growers cannot transport enough produce by train.

Donna Stewart says access to slots on trains has been declining in recent years in favour of coal from southern Queensland mines.

She is hoping to meet grain handlers and rail executives soon to find a solution.

"Look, it has been over the last couple of years and I think there's around 80 per cent of the grain that could be going on trains is going on trucks, so that's all complicating the problems for our roads, particularly going through Toowoomba," she said.

"It's just pounding them to pieces, so it's really vitally important for grower efficiencies and we're in austerity measures and trying to get the best value for our transport needs out here means that we should be putting more of this grain on rail."

Topics: grain, rail-transport, road-transport, activism-and-lobbying, toowoomba-4350, st-george-4487