Coal transport approval raises questions

Wollongong Northern Leader
7 July 2009
Section: Opinion http://www.northernleader.com.au/article/coal_transport_approval_raises_questions

RE – Port Kembla Coal Terminal Major Projects consent, June 26, 2009:

The consent issued by NSW Planning Minister Keneally and announced on June 23, with its initial 50 per cent potential increase of the coal tonnages on road plus the lifting of a curfew going back to 1982, raises many questions.

The first is how the consent accords with the official 2006-2031 Illawarra Regional Strategy of the NSW Department of Planning to (p4) “maximise the efficiency of freight transport” [and] “increase the proportion of freight transported by rail”.

The Minister’s consent given to increasing road haulage of coal to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal from the present high levels of about 5 million tonnes a year to 7.5 million tonnes and an offer to later consider 10 million tonnes has the marked potential to reduce “the efficiency of freight transport” (from increased road congestion, increased road wear and tear and increased energy usage).

More coal on road would also reduce “the proportion of freight transported by rail”.

The second question is, what conditions of consent will uphold the former conditions required by Wollongong City Council in 1979 and agreed to by the NSW Government in 1982 with State Environmental Planning Policy 7 that requires coal from all western mines and Tahmoor Mine to be moved to Port Kembla by rail?

The third question is, why cannot a Maldon-Dombarton railway be used to move coal from a transfer point near the Appin Mine complex to Port Kembla?

Port Kembla is the only coal export terminal in Australia that receives coal by road (all coal for export from Queensland and Port Waratah at Newcastle arrives at the respective ports by rail).

The present 5 million tones a year on road is more than enough and cap of 6 million tonnes on road receival of coal by the PKCT would have been generous.

In addition, among the 121 submissions, plus a petition signed by 55 people, to the Dept of Planning objecting to plans to lift tonnages of coal on road, were requests for the retention of some form of curfew for certain coal trucks on Mt Ousley (to include final day of long weekends) and a code of coal truck standards (regarding the maximum age and noise levels of the trucks, and a requirement for tachographs) to complement a code of coal truck driver conduct.

Given problems in the assessment process, including significant deficiencies in the 2008 Environmental Assessment report and the December 2008 Submissions Report, a public hearing would have been appropriate. The consent stands in need of review.
– Dr Philip Laird
University of Wollongong

Maldon-Dombarton line chugs into next stage

The controversial railway line pictured from the air. The project was dumped by the Greiner Liberal government in 1988 and the Carr Labor government broke a promise to restart work (Wollondilly Advertiser 4/11/08)


Maldon-Dombarton line chugs into next stage
Illawarra Mercury 8 July 2009
BY BRETT COX

The Maldon-Dombarton railway line is today a step closer to being completed, with a pre-feasibility study showing there is a business case to progress the moth-balled link.
Treasurer Wayne Swan is expected to release the results of the $300,000 study into the line which began in January, before he speaks at a business lunch in Wollongong this afternoon.

The study - a pre-election promise by Illawarra Labor MPs Sharon Bird and Jennie George - was undertaken by consultants Connell Hatch and looked at present and future rail freight transport needs, the capacity of existing freight networks and construction requirements for the line's completion.
The Mercury understands the completed study shows a strong business case for progressing to a more comprehensive feasibility study, with the predicted cost of finishing the line in today's terms considerably more than previous estimates of $300 million.

The Government has previously indicated a feasibility study and engineers' reports would cost about $4 million and construction would take a further three years.
Completion of the 35km Maldon-Dombarton link has been identified as the region's infrastructure priority by business and community groups.

The project was initiated in 1983 by the Wran state government. About $30 million was spent before the Greiner government cancelled it in 1988.
About 30km of track, 4km of tunnel, a 500m bridge across the Nepean and Cordeaux rivers, an underpass under the F5 and a number of bridges over roads and rail tracks would still need to be built, but leftover infrastructure is in reasonable condition.

Advocates for the completion of the line say it would provide a direct and efficient route for rail freight to and from Port Kembla, particularly for the expanding $70 billion-a-year western Sydney economy.
It could connect Port Kembla to large intermodal ports already established in suburbs like Minto and link in with the National Freight Network.

The State Government has continued to push responsibility of the project into the Federal Government's hands because of its freight implications.
Ms Bird, who was a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services when it recommended completion of the link in 2007, has previously argued for it because "Port Kembla is the only

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