NSW: Rail officials and govt to meet over calls for rail inquiry

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2000
NSW: Rail officials and govt to meet over calls for rail inquiry

SYDNEY, April 13 AAP - Transport Minister Carl Scully and rail chiefs will meet upper
house crossbenchers today in a bid to quash moves for a parliamentary inquiry into New
South Wales' rail system.

Greens MPs Ian Cohen and Lee Rhiannon have sided with the coalition to push through
a motion for an inquiry, although at least seven other crossbenchers are needed for it
to proceed.

Liberal Party moves for an inquiry were lost last week after failing to gain crossbench support.

However, a meeting between the Greens and deputy opposition leader Barry O'Farrell
resulted in a revised motion with broader terms of reference.

Mr Scully has repeatedly rejected calls for an inquiry, claiming stage two of last
year's Glenbrook train disaster would address wider rail concerns.

One of the crossbenchers today described the situation as "lineball".

Pressure for a full-scale inquiry into the rail network intensified last week after
two train derailments in five days.

State opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski said the inquiry would investigate the performance,
operation, reliability and safety of the CityRail network.

Seven people died in the collision between the Indian Pacific and a commuter train
400m from Glenbrook station in the Blue Mountains on December 2 last year.

AAP ls/sb/jtb/br

KEYWORD: DERAIL (CARRIED EARLIER)

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