By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — Some 200 people rallied on September 4 outside Ascot station in the city's eastern suburbs to protest against the impending closure of passenger rail services between Eagle Junction and Pinkenba.
The rally unanimously called for the state government to reverse its decision to replace the rail service with a bus shuttle.
The resolution said the train service was overwhelmingly preferred by local residents over the bus proposal, because it was environmentally more desirable and more user-friendly for the elderly, young mothers and the disabled.
Representatives of the Save Our Trains Action Committee told the rally that the government had failed to genuinely listen to the views of the residents, despite two large public meetings which had made those views clear.
On speaker from the floor said, "If they can waste $5 million on the Indy car race, why can't they afford to spend the $260,000 they claim our passenger service is losing each year?"
Liberal member for Clayfield Santo Santoro claimed, "This is the only passenger rail service in Brisbane that has been totally gutted and totally terminated".