Wollongong Council Acts

At its ordinary meeting of 11 February 2013, after many contributions from individual Councilors, and an address on behalf of Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC), Wollongong City Council resolved unanimously that:

1. Council make an urgent submission to

a.     The Draft Freight and Port Strategy. 

b.     The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure regarding the Boral Quarry extension. 

2. Council utilise the expertise and information provided by  Dr Philip Laird and the submission also include concerns regarding traffic congestion, noise impact, air pollution, road damage and safety.  
3. Council make representations to the Minister for Finance and Services and Minister for the Illawarra, The Hon. Greg Pearce MLC, and the Minister for Roads and Ports and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, The Hon. Duncan Gay MLC, along with local NSW Government MPs and local Members of the NSW Opposition, to assist economic growth through improved transport infrastructure. 

In addition, at its meeting of 6 February, Council's Neighbourhood Forum 5  (NF5)  resolved on traffic matters:

1. lodge a submission objecting to proposals to place up to an extra 0.5 million tonnes of quarry products from Boral's Dunmore quarry on Mt Ousley and other Wollongong main roads and call for a review of train path availability to allow an extra quarry product train a day instead of Boral's plans to use road haulage.
2. lodge a submission to TfNSW re its draft Freight and Ports Strategy calling, inter alia, for more bulk and container freight onto rail, and 20 per cent of car imports via Port Kembla to go onto rail (as per the development consent for the inner harbour)
3. promote an upgrade of the intersection of Mount Ousley Road with the F6 before there are further fatalities;
4. seek the support of local MPs for these.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please consider writing your own submissions to support those of Council, NF5 and WTC).

Re Boral's proposals for more road haulage from Dunmore Quarry -submissions to the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure close  28 February 2013 - see

http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4879

and cite   DA 470-11-2003 Mod 6.

Re the NSW  draft Freight and Ports  Strategy - submissions to Transport for NSW  close  15 March 2013 - see

http://freightandportsstrategy.transport.nsw.gov.au/the-strategy/

Remember, submissions do not have to be long. Let the decision makers know how you feel about current proposals for more trucks.

            You could, if you wish, express support for  statements on page 4 of the  current 2006-2031 Illawarra Regional Strategy of the Department of Planning as follows:            "It is important that the Region's transport networks support economic growth and maximise the efficiency of freight transport. In particular, what is required are strategic transport corridors to support development of the port of Port Kembla, increase the proportion of freight transported by rail, efficiently link regional centres and towns, and support public transport."

             In regards to the NSW draft Freight and Ports Strategy,  Task 3B2 is to "Mitigate noise from freight operations" but this overlooks the fact that truck noise close to the Mt Ousley road and F6   like the numbers of trucks on these roads, is increasing. Requests by a local State MP for the authorities to install truck more noise monitors; one on the northbound lanes of Mt Ousley (for vehicles climbing Mt Ousley), and, on the F6 at Gwynneville, to record traffic and truck noise, for trucks moving in each direction, have been to date denied. 

            You could ask, along with more priority being given to move freight by rail (or in the case of Bass Point Quarry, by sea) that the Task 3B2 be amended to give more attention to:

            Truck noise monitoring

            Publication of noise limits and progress towards meeting these limits

            Consideration of legislation to ensure compliance with noise limits.