By Benjamin Millar
A rail project that could take thousands of container trucks off inner-west streets each day has been dusted off, years after being shelved while the state government pursued privatisation of the Port of Melbourne.
In the pipeline since 2007, the $58 million Port Rail Shuttle linking Swanson Dock to inland container terminals could take an estimated 3500 trucks each day off the roads.
Despite accepting $38 million funding from the federal government and allocating $20 million in its own 2014-15 budget to the project, the state government stalled the plan while privatising the port.
But Victorian Roads and Ports Minister Luke Donnellan announced on Sunday that expressions of interest would soon be sought to deliver a rail freight “shuttle” based on the existing rail network by connecting the port to major freight hubs and businesses.
“The Port of Melbourne will remain our primary freight hub for a generation,” he said. “With container numbers expected to double over the next two decades, we need to act now to share the load between road and rail.
“Alongside the West Gate Tunnel, 24-hour truck bans in the inner-west and the port’s rail access plans, this project will help shift containers from residential streets on to dedicated routes to the port.”
Western suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland, who has long pushed for the project to proceed, said she was happy with the commitment despite it being well overdue.
“It’s not just about reducing traffic congestion on our roads – it will also improve safety and air quality in our community,” she said.
“It’s crazy that we still move most of our containers out of the port one container at a time.”
The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group welcomed the announcement, yet remains wary following a decade of broken promises about moving more freight to rail.
Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said the “critical project” would mutually benefit freight operators and residents.
“Right now, we have the absurd situation where bulk freight is railed in from regional Victoria – at a great saving of money, energy and emissions – but then has to be reloaded on to trucks for the last five kilometres into the dock area,” he said.
The project is expected to be completed by 2019.
