A PROMISE to upgrade the Greenbushes railway line has been broken by the State Government.

Transport Minister Simon O’Brien has confirmed the $20 million allocated for the project has been re-allocated to a wheatbelt line.

The line was a key election promise of both parties at the last State election, with $20 million budgeted to make the infrastructure operational.

The railway was planned as a freight line for timber industries that would take a number of trucks off the South Western Highway.

However, the Barnett Government has reneged on the undeertaking.

Mr O’Brien last week told Parliament the project would not be proceeding in the foreseeable future.

“The government will reconsider the Greenbushes railway upgrade once the situation on timber resource ownership is clearer and commitments are made by the timber industry to enter into contracts with a rail operator, or other customers present to make the rail operation a viable one,” he said.

The minister said funds set aside for the Greenbushes railway had been reallocated to the Grain Freight network.

The Member for Collie-Preston, Mick Murray, expressed disappointment at the move.

“To get the transport of timber logs off the road and onto a railway would remove some of the safety hazards associated with trucking, particularly as the highway passes through the main streets of several of the towns on the route from Greenbushes to the Bunbury Port,” Mr Murray said.

“This is desperately needed infrastructure for Donnybrook and the wider South West region.

“For Mr Barnett to promise $20 million before an election and then strip that money 17 months away later to divert it to another project proves he cannot be trusted,” he said.