TWO hundred ratepayers have already responded to a survey on the future of the Moree to Sydney flight route, just days after the survey opened online.
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Moree Plains Shire Council is gathering information on how often and when people fly to Sydney and whether the current schedule is fit for purpose.
The current licence to operate the route is up for renewal, with Transport NSW (which allocates the licence) keen to hear from the community about the service.
Qantas currently offers 12 flights a week between Moree and Sydney, two more than its licence requires.
Moree Plains Shire Council general manager Kelvin Tytherleigh is keen to maintain a reliable air service and is seeking support from the community.
"This is a very important route, not just for Moree, but for nearby towns such as Warialda and Narrabri, that rely on the flights for business, education and medical appointments," Mr Tytherleigh said.
"Transport for NSW has approached Council for our opinion on the air service and we in turn are calling on the community to 'have their say' on this really important matter."
In December, 2013, Moree was left stranded after Brindabella Airlines (which beat QantasLink in a licence application round and had been servicing the route) went into receivership.
Flights were suspended and 140 employees stood down.
The community rallied, even posting a video on YouTube, successfully lobbying for QantasLink to return to the skies with a five-year monopoly of air services to the town.
The carrier has been servicing Moree ever since with its Dash 8-200 aircraft.
In recent years, Mr Tytherleigh said Moree Airport had undergone significant upgrades and would soon be able to accommodate larger aeroplanes, such as Qantas' Q400.
"Council has just invested $530,000 in concrete work at the airport to allow two Q400 planes to be parked on the tarmac," Mr Tytherleigh said.
An airport with greater capacity underpins expected growth from the area's special activation precinct masterplan.
The Moree to Sydney route is not regulated route, so businesses interested in operating the service must apply to Transport NSW for a licence for exclusive use of the route.
With the licence up again for renewal, Transport NSW is seeking input from Council and the community regarding a reliable service to best meet the needs of the community.
"We're now consulting with the community with an online survey and we're delighted so far with the response, with 200 submissions already received," Mr Tytherleigh said.
Next step is for Council to liaise with Transport NSW; Mr Tytherleigh will be part of the authority's assessment panel.
He said a decision about which carrier would win the renewed licence was expect before the end of the year.
The Moree-Sydney Flight Route licence renewal community survey is available at:
- Survey: Flight Route Licence Renewal Survey
- Council website: Moree Plains Shire Council Website
- Council Facebook page: Moree Plains Shire Council Facebook
- Or alternatively written submissions can be sent to: business@mpsc.nsw.gov.au
- Post: Moree Plains Shire Council, PO Box 420, Moree NSW 2400
Submissions close Wednesday, April 24 at 5pm.
