14 June 2012

Working on a freight strategy

| johnboy
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The ACT Government has no power over the airport, or what roads and railways are built to our borders and we have no ports.

So it is no surprise we have managed to muddle on without a freight strategy to this point.

But, just in case, Simon Corbell has let us know he’s working on a freight strategy:

“The first freight strategy for the ACT will allow for significant consideration to be given to issues of safety, road user balance and future government and industry investment in infrastructure like roads.

“Earlier this year the government released the final Transport for Canberra Policy that maps out how the ACT Labor Government will meet the challenges of a growing city and deliver major improvements in the way Canberrans get around our city in a sustainable way.”

The ACT Freight Strategy is expected to include:
— The description of a peripheral parkway network which may allow larger, heavier vehicles to be restricted in more urban areas. This formed part of the government’s Transport for Canberra Strategy;
— Reviewing road planning guidelines to better balance the interaction of freight vehicles with people in residential areas, schools and other road users;
— Which roads in the ACT should be available to very long and heavy B-double and future B-triple vehicles;
— Whether, and where, land should be reserved within the ACT and region for freight-related activities;
— The potential for rail to re-emerge as a volume freight mover for the ACT; and,
— The role of air transport as a freight mover for the ACT.

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The number of train tracks that have been pulled up or roads built over is pretty depressing. The tracks we have are largely deteriorating, and can’t keep up with modern technology. The track from here to Sydney has so many tight curves, the current trains can’t go at the speeds they’re capable of.

The trucking industry is massively subsidised. The amount of damage each truck does to the road surface exceeds the amount paid by the industry in tax many times. the figures are actually scary.

The decision/s to let the rail network decay and help the trucking industry grow was stunningly short-sighted, and yet successive state and federal governments have happily played along.

2620watcher said :

What an absolute crock. Our freight strategy works like this:

TNT / Cope / DB Schenker (or whoever), load up B doubles at their respective Sydney freight hubs. These B doubles drive down the Hume to Canberra (usually Hume), where they unload and the freight moved onto standard vans / 4T, 8T or 16T trucks for delivery in the Canberra and surrounding region.

I believe this kind of freight strategy is born out of how the whole free market concept works. Now pay me my $5M for that piece of consultancy. Sheeez.

Toll is soon moving to Hume as well.

bundah said :

If there’s one thing that has pissed me off over the years it’s the lack of vision displayed by both Federal and State govts re freight haulage. This country has seriously needed an efficient and modern rail network for both passenger and freight movement for years which would have reduced the number of the monstrosities on our roads! Now they’re considering B-triples…what the fark is next a road train???

+1

Not that there’s much we can do about it – successive Laboral grubbyments everywhere have gutted the rail network and we’re not likely to see that change until and unless political donations are banned.

The most significant impediment for Canberra and the region to develop as a freight centre is the fact that it is classed as a Rural Destination by AQIS. Effectively this means that Canberra International Airport will never be able to realize its dream to become an international air freight hub.
Additionally, any shipping containers from overseas destined for Canberra by road are subject to AQIS inspections and sometimes expensive unpack/repack/steam cleaning before they leave their port of entry plus a $1,500 cost to transport/unload/return.
As long as Canberra airport and the freight depots at Hume are surrounded by sheep paddocks the “Rural Destination” stigma will stand.

2620watcher said :

I believe this kind of freight strategy is born out of how the whole free market concept works. .

More like the result of trade union threats and blackmail.

If there’s one thing that has pissed me off over the years it’s the lack of vision displayed by both Federal and State govts re freight haulage. This country has seriously needed an efficient and modern rail network for both passenger and freight movement for years which would have reduced the number of the monstrosities on our roads! Now they’re considering B-triples…what the fark is next a road train???

What an absolute crock. Our freight strategy works like this:

TNT / Cope / DB Schenker (or whoever), load up B doubles at their respective Sydney freight hubs. These B doubles drive down the Hume to Canberra (usually Hume), where they unload and the freight moved onto standard vans / 4T, 8T or 16T trucks for delivery in the Canberra and surrounding region.

I believe this kind of freight strategy is born out of how the whole free market concept works. Now pay me my $5M for that piece of consultancy. Sheeez.

To chew up the road, providing more income for road-building contractors.

If trucks paid rego at an appropriate rate for the damage they cause the roads (ie, 97% of the roads’ wear and tear) then it wouldn’t be such a problem.

B-triples?? We’re not the Northern Territory, so why do we need road trains?

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