Lower South West business community backs proposal for commuter services on Bunbury-Bridgetown rail line

The Lower South West business community has backed a proposal for commuter services on a potentially reopened Bunbury-Bridgetown rail line, saying better linkages within the region would help its vibrancy and diversity. Trains have not run on the line since 2000 but Greenbushes mine operator Talison Lithium is spearheading an effort to restart services in order reduce its truck traffic on South Western Highway. To supplement the business case, a local consortium appointed rail consultant Linquage International to compile a benefit case for potential commuter services on the line last week. Blackwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Tracey Hodgkins said additional visitors to the area would provide a big boost for local businesses. “I think it would be fantastic for the entire region,” she said. “More people would come down for tourism, more people would be able to work in other parts of the South West. “It would just connect us to the rest of the region. It would make such a difference.” Tracei Taylor, the owner of the Shamrock Hotel in Greenbushes as well as The Freo in Bridgetown, said she would love to see more daytrippers in the mining town. “The mine has given so much to Greenbushes, it’s the majority of our clientele, but the more people we can bring in, the more beneficial it is for everybody,” she said. The feasibility study on reopening the line is expected to be completed in the second half of this year.