Cut the Commute

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Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) commends the Editorial of the Illawarra Mercury for 15 July:

“Our readers have made it loud and clear through the columns of these pages as part of our Cut the Commute campaign”. For full article click HERE

Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) would like to thank the Lord Mayor and Councillors of Wollongong City Council who are completing a six year term of office, and looks forward to working with the new Council.

 WTC also commends the unanimous motion passed by Council on 29 May 2017 moved by Councillor Merrin and as amended as follows:

1.     Given the recently-released analysis of the economic, social and environmental advantages to Wollongong of improving rail transport in the region, in comparison to building the M1 Motorway in southern Sydney, Council write to Local Members, the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, The Hon Andrew Constance MP, and the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, The Hon Melinda Pavey MP, requesting

a.    that public transport and freight rail options be included in the business case for theM1 Motorway;

b.    all relevant information pertaining to the costs and benefits of rail improvements in the Illawarra to be released to the public; and

c.    advice on how the Government will reduce rail travel times between Wollongong and Sydney.

2.     The letters also outline

a.    the great opportunity the recently announced Federal Government National Rail Program which has been designed specifically for Regional areas is for our region;

b.    the assurance that Wollongong Council recognises the great opportunity for growth to the Illawarra if the rail corridors linking Wollongong to other areas, such as Sydney and South Western Sydney were developed to a standard that would enable our rail infrastructure to meet the current demands and the future needs of the area;

c.    that the recently-announced Federal funds for rail infrastructure would fit perfectly, if they were achieved, into the future expected residential and business needs for this region;

d.    that those funds would help to facilitate the completion of the long overdue and much-needed revamp of the Illawarra rail line.

3.     Council ensure that these letters are prepared and sent as soon as possible.

Road haulage of coal

As noted by the Port Kembla Coal Terminal in their Annual Environmental Management Report 2015-16, consent was given by the NSW Department of Planning to lift the limit of road haulage of coal to 10 million tonnes per annum.  This follows the 2009 consent that lifted the long standing night-time, Sunday and public holiday curfew to allow coal trucks to move 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a limit of 7.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).

No public consultation was undertaken by the NSW Department of Planning in lifting the limit from 7.5 to 10 mtpa. And this at a time when the Mt Ousley Road is getting more and more congested, and funding has been denied to construct the long awaited grade separation at the foot of Mt Ousley Road.

Giant A-Double trucks are now moving some of this coal with 11 or so axles, and a maximum weight of 72 tonnes. See HERE.

Coal truck operators are seeking even heavier trucks, claiming that sub-optimal loading is costing them about $3 million per year.

A good question is how much would the road wear and tear increase each year if the heavier mass was approved by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS)?

A further question is what are the present hidden subsidies to coal trucking? Back around 1992, based on data from the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) (now RMS), Wollongong City Council Coal Task Force reckoned it was three cents per tonne kilometre in unrecovered road system costs. 

So for each million tonnes hauled, the 40 or so km from near Appin to Port Kembla, has a hidden subsidy of $1.2 million.

With 85 % CPI applied, this is now $2.2 million for each million tonnes of road hauled coal.

More information on hidden subsidies to heavy trucks is given in a recent article.