That was the message from a meeting between the mayors of the five councils pushing for the line to be reopened and the NSW opposition spokesperson for regional infrastructure Mick Veitch, and opposition transport spokesperson Penny Sharpe.

Blayney, Cowra, Young, Harden, and Weddin councils are currently reviewing Booz & Co consultants draft report before they submit it to the transport minister Gladys Berejiklian.

Blayney Shire mayor Bruce Kingham said although the report has not yet been released to the public the taskforce were already aware of many of the challenges that needed to be overcome before the line could be reopened.

He said issues including the potential use of the rail, economic advantages of rail over road transport and the issue of congestion on metropolitan roads would all have to be addressed.

“It was a very positive meeting and I’m very passionate about this rail line,” Cr Kingham said.

“We’ve got Sealink expanding, Cadia East coming and a new slurry pipeline coming in from Cadia that’ll bring more slurry into Blayney to be dewatered and transported to Port Kembla for export to Japan so there is use for the line.”

Cr Kingham said the line would help with further growth of the Blayney Shire and grow believes the line would “enhance” the development and growth of Cowra and other five councils involved, whilst also removing congestion on the roads and reducing infrastructure damage caused by heavy vehicles.

Opposition spokesperson for regional infrastructure Mick Veitch said the issues surrounding the line, including its economic viability, had not changed from the previous government.

“I have been one of the strong advocates to assist the five councils in the process,” he said.

“I used to work on the railways so I’m actually a rail fan.

“For the line to be reopened would be a positive.”

He said he hoped the report prepared an economic modelling to suggest a way forward for the line to be reopened as well as a management structure, and information about the other types of freight that could be carted on the line besides grain.

“Once they [the councils] have made a decision about the report themselves and once they’ve shown it to the minister we are happy to help in anyway they want us to help to reopen the line,” he said.

In opposition there “are a number of things” he and Ms Sharpe can do, Mr Veitch said including having conversations with the minister, asking questions on notice, and questions in the house.

Mr Veitch acknowledged the “significant issues” the line has in regard to its infrastructure, including the wash-out of the rail line at Crowther during the floods, the size of the Carcoar tunnel and general repairs and reconstruction of viaducts.

He believes there would be a number of benefits to the community if the line was reopened such as a reduction in the number of large trucks on the road.

“Blayney Council [were] talking about trucks that would be required to haul the slurry from the gold mines for instance,” he said.

“To put that on rail just makes a lot of sense.”

Mr Veitch said utilising the line for passenger travel was not considered as part of the report.

Opposition spokesperson for transport Penny Sharpe said the reopening of the line would be “in the government’s hands” after the report is released.

She said the councils had outlined a number of potential benefits if the line was reopened including environmental impacts and road safety.

“Far less greenhouse gases come off rail then they do through road,” she said. “The other impact, which is hard to measure, is the impact of accidents on the road.”

Both Mr Veitch and Ms Sharpe were members of the former Labor Government that closed the rail line.

Before he was elected as Member for Bathurst in March, Paul Toole said he would get behind the push to reopen the line.

“If elected as local member I would be happy to lobby for the re-opening of the Blayney-Demondrille rail line should there be sufficient support from rail freight users and the Blayney community to see such a project go ahead,” Mr Toole said in March.