The Federal government is still to release the feasibility study for the Maldon Dombarton rail link whilst the State Budget released 6 September could have done more for Wollongong rail and roads.
And now the State Government has given approval for more grain trucks this year.
Something for our newly elected Council to look at ?
The runaway truck on Wednesday 21 September 2011 on Mount Ousley follows three heavy truck accidents in the Illawarra Region, one fatal, one putting the Kiama Bomaderry line out of action and a bulk truck and trailer running off the Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail
See Illawarra Mercury:
http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=Truck+smash+reignites+lower+speed+limit+call&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=adv&clsPage=1&docID=ILL1109099A5IH6BBQU8
See Illawarra Mercury article on 20 September and Editorial for "Export boost puts pressure on our roads":
http://aap.newscentre.com.au/cpsunat/110921/library/private_&_public_partnerships/26711584.html
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Letter Illawarra Mercury, p21, Friday September 9 2011
The report “Fatal Picton Rd Crash” (Mercury, August 27 and August 29) notes the sad loss of life following a collision between a car-carrying truck and a car on the Picton Road on Friday.
Whatever the cause of the fatal crash, the probability of it occurring had increased due to more trucks on the road.
So far this year, there have three extra generators of truck numbers on the Mt Ousley and in some cases Picton Road.
Firstly, it was caused by the failure of the NSW government to ensure compliance with a commitment by December 2010 to have 20 per cent of all car imports through Port Kembla moved from the port by rail.
Secondly, there has been a record number of heavy trucks moving grain to Port Kembla, with all indications that the long standing limit of 200,000 tonnes per year will be increased. An application to increase this limit is currently before the NSW Department of Planning. The environmental assessment and response to submissions does not even address the risk factors of increased fatal accidents.
Thirdly, quarry products moving from Bass Point to Glebe that used to go by coastal shipping are now going by heavy trucks.
All this on top very high levels of road haulage of coal on public roads.
Increased road crash risk is bad enough. Although no amount of money can replace a person, the federal government estimates the economic loss of a person killed in a road crash as approximately $2.4 million.
On top of increased road crash risk, additional numbers of heavy trucks bring extra noise and air pollution.
Wollongong Transport Coalition supports more use of rail and coastal shipping to move bulk products, and for the Federal and NSW governments to expedite completion of the Maldon-Dombarton link.
Irene Tognetti, Keiraville, spokesperson
for Wollongong Transport Coalition
Whatever the cause of the fatal crash, the probability of it occurring had increased due to more trucks on the road.
So far this year, there have three extra generators of truck numbers on the Mt Ousley and in some cases Picton Road.
Firstly, it was caused by the failure of the NSW government to ensure compliance with a commitment by December 2010 to have 20 per cent of all car imports through Port Kembla moved from the port by rail.
Secondly, there has been a record number of heavy trucks moving grain to Port Kembla, with all indications that the long standing limit of 200,000 tonnes per year will be increased. An application to increase this limit is currently before the NSW Department of Planning. The environmental assessment and response to submissions does not even address the risk factors of increased fatal accidents.
Thirdly, quarry products moving from Bass Point to Glebe that used to go by coastal shipping are now going by heavy trucks.
All this on top very high levels of road haulage of coal on public roads.
Increased road crash risk is bad enough. Although no amount of money can replace a person, the federal government estimates the economic loss of a person killed in a road crash as approximately $2.4 million.
On top of increased road crash risk, additional numbers of heavy trucks bring extra noise and air pollution.
Wollongong Transport Coalition supports more use of rail and coastal shipping to move bulk products, and for the Federal and NSW governments to expedite completion of the Maldon-Dombarton link.
Irene Tognetti, Keiraville, spokesperson
for Wollongong Transport Coalition
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
EVEN MORE TRUCKS
On top of large numbers of coal trucks and a recent application for
more grain trucks on the Mt Ousley and other roads, the Part 3A Major
Projects Application
BASS POINT QUARRY PROJECT 08_0143
was on exhibition to Monday 25 July. It may be viewed at
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=2707
It is the third application this year with the potential to put even
more big trucks on the Mt Ousley and other roads.
Did Wollongong City Council put in a submission ?
If not, why not?
.
more grain trucks on the Mt Ousley and other roads, the Part 3A Major
Projects Application
BASS POINT QUARRY PROJECT 08_0143
was on exhibition to Monday 25 July. It may be viewed at
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=2707
It is the third application this year with the potential to put even
more big trucks on the Mt Ousley and other roads.
Did Wollongong City Council put in a submission ?
If not, why not?
.
FROM THE ILLAWARRA MERCURY
Lead letter 5 August 2011
The people of Wollongong have a very short period to
get involved in stopping further truck movements on our main roads or
face gridlocked conditions worse than Paramatta Road .
Already the roads out of our city are saturated during
the morning peaks and yet Kembla Grain Terminal is seeking approval
after 25 years, to lift the curfew on grain truck movements and a
limit of 200,000 tonnes per annum. This means that trucks will run
24/7 and there could be an extra one million tonnes per annum (mtpa)
of grain on roads to Port Kembla - an average of 1250 extra truck
movements per week.
On behalf of Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) I
strongly object to this proposal. At present five mtpa of coal is
hauled by heavy trucks on our roads to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal
with the prospect of 10mtpa, plus a further 2 mtpa to the steel
works. As well as car carrying trucks from the inner harbour the Port
Kembla Outer Harbour has approval for expansion which means even more
trucks will be on our roads. And to add insult to injury, when quarry
material from Bass Point to Sydney has been diverted from ship to 200
truck movements per week, on top a cement mill is planned and we have
been informed by the Port Kembla Authorities that all the cement will
be delivered by road.
WTC originally requested that the expansion of the Port
Kembla Outer Harbour be delayed until proper infrastructure including
completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail line was put in place.
Ignoring these issues means more road accidents,
including on the dangerous Picton Road, plus more noise and air
pollution and road congestion.
Although the recent exhibition period of 14 days which
was mostly in school holidays has passed, hopefully the Minister of
Planning with the full support of al NSW State MPs will consider
referring the present application to the Planning and Assessment
Commission with the option of Public Hearings.
In addition, WTC seeks positive measures to keep grain on
rail. This would include rehabilitation of grain lines, reopening the
Harden to Cowra line, and full user pays for heavy trucks to the
roads they use in the course of their business with a contribution to
the social and environmental costs that their operations impose on the
wider community.
Irene Tognetti, WTC Spokesperson
END
The people of Wollongong have a very short period to
get involved in stopping further truck movements on our main roads or
face gridlocked conditions worse than Paramatta Road .
Already the roads out of our city are saturated during
the morning peaks and yet Kembla Grain Terminal is seeking approval
after 25 years, to lift the curfew on grain truck movements and a
limit of 200,000 tonnes per annum. This means that trucks will run
24/7 and there could be an extra one million tonnes per annum (mtpa)
of grain on roads to Port Kembla - an average of 1250 extra truck
movements per week.
On behalf of Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) I
strongly object to this proposal. At present five mtpa of coal is
hauled by heavy trucks on our roads to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal
with the prospect of 10mtpa, plus a further 2 mtpa to the steel
works. As well as car carrying trucks from the inner harbour the Port
Kembla Outer Harbour has approval for expansion which means even more
trucks will be on our roads. And to add insult to injury, when quarry
material from Bass Point to Sydney has been diverted from ship to 200
truck movements per week, on top a cement mill is planned and we have
been informed by the Port Kembla Authorities that all the cement will
be delivered by road.
WTC originally requested that the expansion of the Port
Kembla Outer Harbour be delayed until proper infrastructure including
completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail line was put in place.
Ignoring these issues means more road accidents,
including on the dangerous Picton Road, plus more noise and air
pollution and road congestion.
Although the recent exhibition period of 14 days which
was mostly in school holidays has passed, hopefully the Minister of
Planning with the full support of al NSW State MPs will consider
referring the present application to the Planning and Assessment
Commission with the option of Public Hearings.
In addition, WTC seeks positive measures to keep grain on
rail. This would include rehabilitation of grain lines, reopening the
Harden to Cowra line, and full user pays for heavy trucks to the
roads they use in the course of their business with a contribution to
the social and environmental costs that their operations impose on the
wider community.
Irene Tognetti, WTC Spokesperson
END
Friday, July 1, 2011
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE ?
On the one hand, the Port Kembla Port Corporation in its Special Feature "Your Port" in The Advertiser for Wednesday 29 June states in an article RAIL PLANNING ON TRACK that studies are underway to assist its vision including "…to encourage modal shift where practical from road to rail."
The very next day, the Illawarra Mercury carries an advertisement from the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure considering an application from Graincorp Operations Limited to modify a consent to allow the receiving of grain at Port Kembla by road 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and to remove the restricted annual tonnage limit. Which incidentally is 200,000 tonnes per annum.
SEE Illawarra Mercury Page 1 for Friday 1 July PORT WANTS TRUCKS 24/7
It is not only 24/7 trucking that is wanted but also the option for more heavy trucks ... perhaps many more big trucks on our roads.
HAVE YOUR SAY - QUICKLY
Wollongong's main roads to Port Kembla have no shortage of coal trucks on public roads, over five million tonnes per annum. No other city in Australia has so much coal on rail. On top of that, there are the car imports which at present all are going by road - despite a consent condition stating that 20 per cent are supposed to leave the port by rail.
Now comes a proposal to have NO LIMIT on the amount of grain trucks arriving at Port Kembla.
Although most grain arrives by rail at Port Kembla, in recent years, the condition of many grain lines in Western and South Western NSW have been allowed to run down, thus increasing an incentive to use more trucks.
The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure this time around has only given 14 days to respond.
The full "environmental assessment" is at
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4628
The Department invites submissions. What do you think ?
The very next day, the Illawarra Mercury carries an advertisement from the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure considering an application from Graincorp Operations Limited to modify a consent to allow the receiving of grain at Port Kembla by road 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and to remove the restricted annual tonnage limit. Which incidentally is 200,000 tonnes per annum.
SEE Illawarra Mercury Page 1 for Friday 1 July PORT WANTS TRUCKS 24/7
It is not only 24/7 trucking that is wanted but also the option for more heavy trucks ... perhaps many more big trucks on our roads.
HAVE YOUR SAY - QUICKLY
Wollongong's main roads to Port Kembla have no shortage of coal trucks on public roads, over five million tonnes per annum. No other city in Australia has so much coal on rail. On top of that, there are the car imports which at present all are going by road - despite a consent condition stating that 20 per cent are supposed to leave the port by rail.
Now comes a proposal to have NO LIMIT on the amount of grain trucks arriving at Port Kembla.
Although most grain arrives by rail at Port Kembla, in recent years, the condition of many grain lines in Western and South Western NSW have been allowed to run down, thus increasing an incentive to use more trucks.
The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure this time around has only given 14 days to respond.
The full "environmental assessment" is at
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4628
The Department invites submissions. What do you think ?
Monday, June 13, 2011
WTC Comment
Wollongong needs local elected representatives at a State and local level who are prepared to support both completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail link and faster passenger trains to Sydney.
The situation for Maldon Dombarton is very different now than what it was in 1988 when the Avon tunnel contract was cancelled by the Greiner government in a tight budgetary situation. In 1988, the main traffic on offer was coal. In 2011, there is not only coal with prospects for further growth in exports (Illawarra Mercury "Boom time at Port Kembla" 19 May, which notes that the Port Kembla Coal Terminal - thanks to the coal boom - could allow it to handle more than $1 billion worth of extra coal a year) but also cars from the inner harbour. Plus containers and other cargo from approved Port Kembla outer harbour expansion. Passengers too are also quite possible.
WTC looks forward to the release, this winter, by the Federal government of the full feasibility study for Maldon Dombarton. Plus the new Infrastructure NSW agency taking a good look at a rail line that will not only benefit the Illawarra but much of Sydney.
The situation for Maldon Dombarton is very different now than what it was in 1988 when the Avon tunnel contract was cancelled by the Greiner government in a tight budgetary situation. In 1988, the main traffic on offer was coal. In 2011, there is not only coal with prospects for further growth in exports (Illawarra Mercury "Boom time at Port Kembla" 19 May, which notes that the Port Kembla Coal Terminal - thanks to the coal boom - could allow it to handle more than $1 billion worth of extra coal a year) but also cars from the inner harbour. Plus containers and other cargo from approved Port Kembla outer harbour expansion. Passengers too are also quite possible.
WTC looks forward to the release, this winter, by the Federal government of the full feasibility study for Maldon Dombarton. Plus the new Infrastructure NSW agency taking a good look at a rail line that will not only benefit the Illawarra but much of Sydney.
llawarra Mercury Letters 2 June 2011
Region needs a friend not a fox
| Date: 02/06/2011 | | | Publication: Illawarra Mercury Section: News Page: 19 |
In recent weeks, the subject of very fast trains for Australia, and for one to come through Wollongong, has reappeared in the pages of your paper.
There is a very good case for such trains to service the Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne corridor. Sydney-Melbourne, for example, is one of the busiest air corridors in the world and anyone who has driven the Hume Hwy knows how much freight travels that route.
However, it would be foolish to think that such a service could be diverted through Wollongong.
Consider what it would involve: begin at near sea-level in the Sydney region, climb to the heights of Heathcote, then descend the escarpment into the Illawarra for a stop in the Gong, only to climb back up that same escarpment to reach the Southern Highlands. This is engineering madness.
What Wollongong does need in rail transport are two things.
First, the completion of the Maldon-Dombarton line as a freight and passenger link to the Southern Highlands and to the employment opportunities of Campbelltown, Liverpool and even Parramatta.
The second great need is an upgrade of the present line to Sydney so that the 80km journey can be done in one hour.
Diversions from the original route between Coalcliff and Waterfall were made in the 1920s to create gentler gradients to allow the steam locomotives of that era to deal with increasing freight loads.
Unfortunately, these gradients involved many tight curves and consequently slower speeds. Realignment of the route, possibly involving some tunnelling, would allow our present generation trains to operate at their best.
However, I am not optimistic that either of these things will happen because one of the first acts of the O'Farrell government was to appoint as the head of a super transport authority Nick Greiner, the same Nick Greiner who when premier of a previous Coalition government cancelled the half-completed Maldon-Dombarton line.
Mr O'Farrell has put the fox in charge of the chicken coop.
Les Gapps, Gwynneville.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
PORT KEMBLA EXPANSION APPROVED WITHOUT MALDON DOMBARTON
On 3 March 2011 the NSW Government approved conditional expansion of the Port Kembla Outer Harbour, whilst acknowledging the capacity limitations of the existing Sydney to Wollongong line. More details are at:
(NOTE: for the full picture, including the concern of the Roads and Traffic Authority go to the Submissions Report and not just the Director Generals Report.)
As seen by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority even Stage 1 Port Kemba outer harbour traffic volumes (bulk, general and limited containers) (June 2010 submissions report) if the predicted rail mode share could not be achieved, there would be likely "… unacceptable impacts to road safety and traffic efficiency as well as environmental issues such as amenity, noise and air quality."
Quite clearly, it is either complete the Maldon Dombarton rail link or see many more heavy trucks on the Mt Ousley Road. With little or no improvement to Wollongong Sydney train services.
CARS NOT ON RAIL AND MORE COAL ON ROAD
It is a condition of consent that by December 2010 no less than 20 per cent of cars imported through Port Kembla are supposed to be moved by rail - so far, it appears, the percentage is zero.
Has anyone ever seen a train load of cars leaving Port Kembla?
Meantime, Gujarat NRE who own the former South Bulli mine are understood to be planning to lift coal production from 1 to 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), with the addition coal to be moved on public roads.
In addition, Illawarra Coal owned by BHP Billiton has a long standing application 08-0150 with the NSW Department of Planning that includes more coal production from their Appin Mine Complex.
On Page 6 of Appendix K of the Environmental Assessment, it is noted that operations in 2007 resulted in the highest recent trucking movements (from the Appin Mine and Westcliff Colliery) was to PKCT (3.4 mtpa), Bluescope steelworks (1.9 mtpa), Corrimal/Coalcliff coke works (0.15 mtpa) and Dendrobium washery (0.4 mtpa). (A total of 5.85 mtpa)
Also noted on Page 6 of Appendix K is proposed coal transport levels, with trucking movements to PKCT (7.5 mtpa), Bluescope steelworks (4 mtpa) whilst Corrimal/Coalcliff coke works (0.2 mtpa) and Dendrobium washery (up to 0.5 mtpa).
This would give a massive increase from current levels to a total of 12.2 mtpa.
Most, if not all of this coal, would come down the Mt Ousley Road.
A CALL FOR FASTER PASSENGER TRAINS
Transport is an issue in the NSW State election to be held on 26 March, both in Sydney and Wollongong. This includes an Illawarra Transport Forum hosted on 23rd February 2011 by the Rail Tram Bus Union (RTBU) with MC Scott Macgregor.
Five years ago, the NSW State Government slowed down the South Coast passenger trains and they failed to speed them up last year with the revised timetable. This is simply not good enough, in view of the fact that 4,000 people commute to Sydney each week day.
The independent candidate for the Seat of Wollongong, Gordon Bradbery, has called for high speed trains and completion of the Maldon Dombarton link.
MALDON DOMBARTON SUBMISSIONS
The Federal Government received about 40 submissions in favour of completing the Maldon to Dombarton link. Of particular note was support expressed by several Councils outside of the Wollongong area, including Lithgow, Wollondilly, Marrackville and Sutherland. Plus the RTA.
All submissions may be viewed at:
http://www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au/publications/reports/Maldon_Dombarton_Submissions.aspx
WTC supports completion of this rail line for reasons including:
The project is one third completed already and will free up capacity on the Sydney Wollongong railway for more passenger trains.
Port Kembla expansion to date has already put more pressure on the Mt Ousley, Picton and other roads.
.
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