Illawarra Mercury - article 19 January 2009

Concerns over Port Kembla truck plan
BY ALEX ARNOLD
19/01/2009 4:00:00 AM
The NSW Greens have called for a public inquiry into the Port Kembla Coal Terminal's proposal to lift restrictions on road delivery to its terminal.
The PKCT wants to run coal trucks outside the 7am to 6pm curfew window and is seeking approval to allow it to receive coal by road 24 hours, seven days a week up to a maximum of 10 million tonnes per year.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said her concerns had been heightened after the submissions report prepared for the PKCT was "quietly placed on the NSW Department of Planning website at the end of last year". Individuals who made submission had not been notified, she said.
Ms Rhiannon said the 115-page report responding to submissions minimised legitimate concerns.
She said the Government had a responsibility to find a balance between the profits of companies and people's health.
"This doesn't get it right," she said.
"The proponent rejects the Ministry of Transport's sensible proposal to maintain the existing proportion of coal going via rail and road," she said. "The cumulative impact of additional coal and car freight from an expanded Port Kembla has also been downplayed."
A public inquiry was needed as a result of the Government's close links to coal companies, she said.
During the exhibition period in September and October last year 122 public submissions were received, including a 55-signature petition counted as one - of which 113 were objections. Of those 43 per cent came from residents of Mt Ousley and 27 per cent from Bellambi.
In its response the terminal provides scope for a PKCT Driver's Code of Conduct, which will include designated haulage routes and noise minimisation controls.
But Ms Rhiannon said "an inordinate amount of faith" had been vested in the development of the code of conduct.
In its response the PKCT pointed to an IRIS Research telephone survey of 330 households, undertaken in early 2008 in which 59 per cent of respondents indicated medium levels of support for the changes.
"It is noted that 93 per cent of residents had not noticed any change in truck movements in the recent weeks during the trial period," the report states.
With Parliament not set to sit until March, Ms Rhiannon called on Minister for Illawarra David Campbell and his fellow Illawarra MPs to support a comprehensive public inquiry before any final decision was made.
Source: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/concerns-over-port-kembla-truck-plan/1409931.aspx#

Wollongong Transport Coalition Response to The Submissions Report

Port Kembla Coal Terminal proposal MP 08_00009

to lift the curfew and double the amount of coal on our roads.

Wollongong people have received an unexpected and in many cases unwelcome Christmas present in the form of the quiet release of the “Response to Submissions Report”. This is a response to widespread community concern about proposals by the Port Kembla Coal Terminal (PKCT) to lift the curfew on coal truck deliveries to the coal terminal, and, to double the amount of coal received by coal from 5 to 10 million tonnes per annum.

Good policy would allow for public accessibility and a written response to be sent to those people who took the time to make a submission, responding to the questions asked or issues raised in their submission instead of ignoring them. Rather, the 50 plus page report is hidden away at the Department of Planning's website: http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=2238

After dealing with the limited range of concerns of other Government Departments and Wollongong City Council, the report proceeds to dismiss most of the concerns of the 112 persons who took the trouble to lodge objections with the Department of Planning. A petition signed by 55 persons also objects to the proposals.

Among concerns raised was engine exhaust noise but it seems that the PKCT regards loud noise as an essential element of coal trucking, and that only the most minor concessions can be made, stating "Engine brakes are an essential method of truck control on steep haulage routes such as Mt Ousley.

The second major concern was road safety, and this also gets a limited response. Although it is claimed that "The removal of delivery restrictions will allow less interaction with commuter traffic, as trucks will be able to deliver more efficiently during night time hours outside of peak commuter times", this could be offset by a doubling of the number of coal trucks.

The third major community concern was that of dust and air pollution of trucks. Strangely this was not picked by any Government Departments or Wollongong City Council, and the concerns are dismissed in two short paragraphs.

More use of rail is raised in the submissions report which to its credit mentions the option of the Maldon Dombarton rail link. Other community concerns treated very lightly in the submission reports are those of the costs of maintaining and improving roads used by coal trucks, and the fact that "Many respondents noted concerns with their property values diminishing as a result of this application."

Submissions were received from people further afield than those living close to the road. Those concerns related to the safety and health of the community citing air pollution, the access to and from Wollongong (what happens when the road fails or accidents block the road?) The capacity of the road to cope with additional loads of other heavy vehicles emanating from the Port carrying cars, agricultural machinery, heavy lifts and everything else that used to be delivered to Sydney. The cumulative effect of all these additional heavy vehicles going back up Mt Ousley Road appears to have been ignored.

The Wollongong Transport Coalition suggests that the PKCT should substantially modify its proposals to reflect public concern. A public hearing/inquiry is required. There should also be more consultation by the Department of Planning out of school holidays and this should extend to public hearings. The Coalition does not agree with Submissions report where it states the PKCT''s view that "adequate and appropriate communication and consultation was carried out with the public for the project".