Intermodal build held up in Qube contractual negotiations: Tamworth mayor

The state government completed enabling works for the project at the end of 2021.

Announced in 2015, the intermodal rail hub was due to open this year - but work is yet to start on the project.

On Tuesday, Tamworth mayor Russell Webb opened the road connection to what will be the city's huge Global Gateway Park industrial estate, which will be developed next to the rail freight hub.

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Cr Webb said he didn't have a timeline for when work would begin, with that dependent on "when some people reach some agreement on contracts".

"Most of the rail equipment and so forth has been purchased and is sitting on site down there. We're just waiting for some sign-offs between between TFI [Thomas Foods International] and a company called Qube," he said.

"We're waiting for all that to happen; that's outside of our control. But we're ready to go when the time comes. And that shouldn't be far away."

He said there's been "some complications in some technicalities completely out of our control".

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway told an estimates hearing in August that it was up to the Tamworth council and Qube to build the project.

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"The latest advice I have is that that will be happening in the very near future," he said at the time.

"The latest advice I have, is that it is now up to Tamworth Regional Council with private operator Qube to commence their overall operations and construction and mobilisation works at that intermodal terminal. You'd have to direct the question to Tamworth Regional Council."

Logistics firm Qube has invested more than $1 million in the project and has confirmed it is currently in commercial negotiations with Thomas Foods International with regard to the rail project.

Qube did not want to comment for the story.

A spokesperson for Thomas Foods said the project is primarily a partnership between Qube and the local council, "therefore it isn't our place to comment".

Cr Webb said he's confident the commercial negotiations will be successful and the rail line will get moving soon.

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"It would be improper for me to comment on where those negotiations are up to when I've actually got nothing to do with it," he said.

The state government spent $35 million to reinstate the Barraba spur line from West Tamworth to Westdale to enable the construction of the intermodal freight facility.

The line will link the Taminda industrial estate with Sydney's Port Botany. Qube will operate the freight hub once it is complete.

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