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

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 ?

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.

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.

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:

http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/page/project-sectors/transport--communications--energy---water/port---wharf-facilities/?action=view_job&job_id=2917

(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.

.

MALDON DOMBARTON RAILWAY SUBMISSIONS NOW AVAILABLE

The Federal Government has commissioned a Maldon Donbarton Rail Link Feasibility Study. Some 36 submissions were received by 17 December 2010-with more to follow-and may be found at:

http://www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au/publications/reports/Maldon_Dombarton_Submissions.aspx

Most of these submissions, including from WTC, are supportive of the new railway. WTC also
supports passenger trains on the new line as well as improved passenger train services on the Wollongong - Sydney line.

WTC shall be back in the New Year. In the mean time, Seasons Greetings and take extra care when driving.




.

Recent Illawarra Mercury stories showing problems with existing rail and road links.

Double truck crash closes Picton Rd
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/double-truck-crash-closes-picton-rd/2012024.aspx
30 Nov, 2010 10:32 AM
The westbound lane of Picton Rd at Cataract is closed following a collision between two trucks.
Nobody is believed to have been seriously injured in the incident.
Motorists are advised to use either Illawarra Hwy or Appin Rd as alternative routes.

Emergency repairs delay South Coast trains
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/emergency-repairs-delay-south-coast-trains/2013298.aspx
01 Dec, 2010 10:13 AM
South Coast commuters can expect delays due to emergency repairs on signal equipment between Coalcliff and Scarborough.
Transport NSW said trains were being delayed by up to 15 minutes in both directions.
The delays come as the State Opposition criticises the Government for its failure to improve rail service.
According to the Opposition, NSW train commuters are being forced back into their cars because of poor state of the public transport system.
The RailCorp annual report reveals there were 2.3 million fewer passenger trips on the rail network in 2009-10 compared to 2008-09.
‘‘Commuters are talking with their feet because they are fed up with the Keneally Labor government’s failure to improve the public transport system,’’ Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian said.


Rainfall delays South Coast trains
BY MATTHEW JONES AND ANGELA THOMPSON
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/rainfall-delays-south-coast-trains/2014119.aspx
02 Dec, 2010 04:00 AM
Heavy rains wreaked havoc on the South Coast rail line yesterday, with three separate incidents slowing trains to a crawl….

Trains were delayed by 30 minutes from 9.15am as RailCorp crews carried out emergency repairs on signal equipment between Coalcliff and Scarborough. A RailCorp spokeswoman confirmed the incident was weather-related and repairs were completed by 10am.
Just hours later, safety monitors and land slip detectors were activated at Thirroul, forcing trains to slow down through the area between 1.20pm and 2.52pm. …

Around the same time, a train struck a large rock that had washed onto the tracks at Wombarra. Passengers were delayed by up to 30 minutes as RailCorp crews removed the rock and checked the track for damage.