Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Maldon Dombarton Rail Link Needs Accelerating



Whilst Infrastructure NSW in their 2012 report “First things first” considers that Maldon Dombarton can wait until the 2020s, the Federal Government in late 2012 awarded contracts for engineering, planning and environmental works for this long overdue railway line.
As SCLC Secretary Arthur Rorris noted on ABC Stateline on 26 September 2012 (view here):  "It is probably the most studied piece of half finished piece infrastructure on the planet by now."

The need for Maldon Dombarton has again being highlighted by formal advice from rail freight operator Pacific National to Boral: that Pacific National Bulk Rail is unable to identify a suitable commercial or operational train path for Pacific National to provide a 3rd daily train for PN’s current operations for haulage from Boral’s Dunmore siding into Sydney.
As a result:
(Illawarra Mercury Jan. 25, 2013)

Truck movements from Boral's hard rock quarry at Dunmore could jump 50% under a proposal being considered. The company is seeking to modify its existing development consent to increase the size of the quarry by two hectares and also to increase the amount of product hauled from the quarry by road.
The change would allow material approved for road haulage to rise from 1 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes a year.

WTC says ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

The Mt Ousley Road has seen a notable increase in heavy truck movements in recent years (more coal, imported cars, grain and now quarry products). How much more at a time heavy bulk truck operations are effectively being subsidized through underpricing of road access and add to road safety risk whilst there is no effective control of noise?

Some members of WTC can recall Premier Wran in September 1983 announcing that the Maldon Port Kembla Railway would be completed within three years.
WTC would welcome an announcement in 2013 that the Maldon Dombarton rail link will be completed by 2016.

In addition, WTC would like to see Port Kembla expanded to have container facilities with use of the new rail link to Moorebank Intermodal Terminal.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

For goodness sake, Maldon Dombarton must be built! The F6 through the Illawarra is incredibly dangerous already and creates hugely disruptive noise for residents. The removal of truck curfews makes it hard to sleep at night in many areas. Who can citizens complain to about this terrible Boral plan for even more trucks?

Anonymous said...

No Rail paths for transport of quarry products from Dunmore?
Anyone who looks at "our" rail system can see the paths that would be available if Rail Corp / Cityrail would not leave trains in platforms waiting for their next duty. Hurstville, as an example. A local all stations train from the city left in the platform when it should have been taken to the siding. Wait, Rail Corp removed the storage sidings at Hurstville in it "rationalisation".
Bi-Directional running meand trains in either direction. Slow coal train leaves Waterfall travelling south, bi-directional means a passenger trains can travel south on the other track and change back at Helensburgh or Otford or Coal Cliff.
30 years ago, Helensburgh to Central took 45 minutes. Today, Sunday 17 Feb, it takes 80 minutes according to Cityrail trip planner. Even for Monday it is showing 60 minutes plus.
"our" rail system has gone backwards.
Modern Rail system? Building tunnels for only single deck trains on the north western rail line? Just wait until Cityrail sends a double deck train and their is an "accident".
10 Years since Waterfall and still the recommendations have not been implemented.
This is not a rail system. It is toy trains for the boys.