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Truck protesters rail against closure

WAFARMERS President Dale Park delivers a letter to Brookfield Rail regarding the closure of train lines. Picture: Michael Wilson/The West Australian

A convoy of 10 trucks hit city streets today in a taste of the trucking hell Wheatbelt farmers say will be unleashed on their roads following the closure of rail lines.

The trucks led by WAFarmers president Dale Park converged on the Brookfield Rail headquarters in Welshpool.

Mr Park presented Brookfield Rail with an offer to lease the tier 3 lines for $1 a year to keep them running.

He said there was nothing wrong with the lines which had been carrying 6500 tonnes of grain a day until the closure at the weekend.

Police kept a close watch on the peaceful protest and did not intervene.

Wheatbelt rail retention alliance president Greg Richards said lives would be put at risk on Wheatbelt roads as a result of the rail closure.

It is estimated mote than 800,000 tonnes of grain remains in receival bins on the lines.

Moving it will create about 30000 extra truck movements on Wheatbelt roads.

Brookfield has an exclusive lease over the State-owned lines and claims it is acting in accordance with government policy by closing them.

It is locked in a bitter dispute with CBH on access fees.

A smaller protest group was due to go ahead to west Perth to present a letter to Transport Minister Dean Nalder calling for urgent action to keep the lines open.