Call for Comment re NSW Transport

Transport for New South Wales is at http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au

Last Autumn, a draft  NSW Long Term Transport Plan was on exhibition and a  Public Forum was held on Tuesday April 17 at Wollongong.

Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) and others are waiting for release of the updated draft plan. 

Overturned grain truck blocks Mt Ousley

On Friday 30 March, a grain truck, with dog trailer, overturned on Mt Ousley south of the Mt Pleasant overpass. This blocked Mt Ousley road for more than ten hours, with traffic congestion on Bulli Pass extending as far back as Waterfall (see Illawarra Mercury for 31 March 2012).

WTC looks forward to advice from the authorities as to who pays for the clean up of Mt Ousley, and what is being done to:

• get more grain onto rail, and to
• improve safety of grain truck operations

More Support for Maldon-Dombarton

Coverage in the Illawarra Mecury

2 April

Maldon-Dombarton line could speed passenger rail

31 March

Overturned truck blocks Mt Ousley

21 March:

Editorial Illawarra Mercury, Rail link key to region's prosperity

21 March

Maldon-Dombarton link critical for future growth

Quote: Port Kembla’s chances of becoming the state’s second container port servicing Sydney are slipping away because of delays in the approval of the Maldon-Dombarton rail line, Australia’s peak shipping group has said.

Shipping Australia chief executive Llew Russell said the longer it took for a decision to be made on the rail link, the more likely it was that Newcastle would win the race to become Sydney’s overflow port.

‘‘We think any delay in the completion of this railway is of concern,’’ Mr Russell said.

‘‘We would be worried with any undue delay.’’

His comments came a day after Prime Minister Julia Gillard identified the Maldon Dombarton rail project as one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure initiatives.

Wollongong City Council Concerns re Trucks

At its meeting of 30 January, 2012 Wollongong City Council resolved as follows:

1. Wollongong City Council inform Transport for New South Wales of its concern about the increased use of road-based bulk haulage within the Wollongong Local Government Area, focussed on Port Kembla. Wollongong City Council requests a report from Transport for New South Wales on the environmental and social impact on the City of such planned increase.

2. A report be prepared on the impact of increased road-based bulk haulage on Council roads and infrastructure.

3. Wollongong City Council reaffirms its commitment to focus upon and support the upgrade of railway infrastructure for the movement of commodities and freight through Port Kembla, as per Council’s resolution of 27 September 2011, Minute No 147.

4. Council support the decision of the Federal Government in October 2011 to advance the Maldon-Dombarton link with a $24.5M commitment for works to make the project shovel-ready.

5. Councillors be given a briefing on any breaches of the truck curfew conditions.

6. Council officers be empowered to make submissions to any future developments in the region that add significantly more trucks onto Wollongong roads and such submissions express Council’s position for preference of freight haulage by rail (or ship).

7. Council urgently lodge a submission with IPART in its review of rail access pricing on the grain line network and to ask IPART to consider the impact of extra grain trucks on Mt Ousley and other Wollongong highways.