BEFORE plans for a rail line beyond Bomaderry to wherever reach fever pitch, I ask people to consider what such a proposal would cost and I do not mean the obvious financial cost.

What route might be considered and what towns would be deemed important enough to have a station? These are just the first of many questions. It is all too easy just to say it should be constructed.

Think of the terrain and ask how much bushland you are prepared to destroy for the alleged environmental benefit of removing vehicles from the Princes Highway.

When one considers the carbon cost of wholesale tree slaughter to build the line, stations, maintenance depots, roads to and parking areas at the stations, I feel the destruction of trees would more than equal saved emissions from vehicles removed from our roads.

If this proposal is seriously considered, it will most likely fall under Part 3A of the NSW Planning Act and will therefore be exempt from any environmental considerations.

In the past, railways have been a tool for development of remote areas and introducing permanent residents and tourists to these areas. Most South Coast towns are well locked into their development areas and extension of these could come at a cost of productive farmland.

With this in mind, how many of these towns have the capacity or desire to expand for such development associated with the increase in permanent residents or casual visitors?

As is now happening at Huskisson and the Bay and Basin area generally, many of these towns could be expected to lose their identity and development should not come at such a cost.

The proposal initially sounds like a good idea but on the other side of the tracks I would like to see what we have, not a ribbon of steel and concrete.

A. Stephenson,

Nowra.