Report Card Shows Ports and Freight Moving Ahead
Source: Victorian Government - http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/index.php
30 August 2010
From the Minister for Roads & Ports - Tim Pallas MP
The development of Victoria’s ports and freight network is on track, with the release today of a report card detailing progress on more than 20 of the Brumby Labor Government’s major ports, freight and logistics policies and projects.
Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas today released the report card showing the Government’s progress on delivering its Freight Futures and Ports Futures action plans for an efficient and sustainable freight network to support Victoria’s prosperity and liveability.
“People rarely stop to think about our freight network or get to see the ports in operation. But this crucial infrastructure supports our everyday lives, the delivery of everyday household goods and many thousands of jobs in Victoria,” Mr Pallas said.
“We understand the importance of developing Victoria’s ports and a more efficient freight system, securing thousands of jobs, boosting the economy and building for our state’s future.” Mr Pallas said the Government’s key planning and policy initiatives were providing the key essentials to delivering a more efficient and sustainable freight network.
“Our Transport Legislation (Ports Integration) Bill is paving the way for integrating management of the Ports of Melbourne and Hastings to ensure they are developed in a complementary, coordinated and sustainable manner,” he said.
“We’re also currently talking to the industry on the Shaping Melbourne’s Freight Future Discussion Paper, which outlines our plan to establish a network of intermodal road and rail freight terminals and move non-essential freight activity away from inner Melbourne.”
A trial of longer B-double trucks is also underway in Melbourne’s inner west and the Green Triangle region, which is aimed at reducing the number of freight vehicles on Victoria’s roads.
Other key port and freight achievements include:
- More than $1.2 billion in regional road projects underway on major road freight routes;
- The Channel Deepening Project completed in November 2009, one month ahead of schedule and $248 million under budget;
- $40 million Altona intermodal upgrade project on schedule for early 2012 completion;
- More than $1.3 billion committed by the Victorian and Australian Governments to developing Victoria’s rail freight network;
- Delivering $5 million in road upgrades and $4 million in rail upgrades as part of the Green Triangle Freight Action Plan;
- Development of a business case is underway for a new rail terminal in Melbourne’s west to support interstate freight; and
- A workforce strategy for freight drivers released and pilot programs underway to broaden participation and address sleeping disorders.
Mr Pallas said the Brumby Labor Government was also delivering on its promise to take trucks off streets in the inner-western suburbs of Melbourne and provide an alternative to the West Gate Bridge corridor. "We’ve already committed almost $30 million to projects such as WestLink and the Truck Action Plan, which are vital to the future of Melbourne’s west, as people continue to move into the area and Victoria’s freight task grows,” he said. The Freight Infrastructure Charge to be introduced at the Port of Melbourne will also contribute up to $1 billion over ten years towards transport infrastructure including $18 billion in road projects that will directly benefit the freight industry. “We are continuing to work closely with the freight industry to implement the charge, which will be structured to encourage greater efficiency and utilisation of trucks in and around the Port of Melbourne precinct,” Mr Pallas said.