Regional Cities NSW calls on Government to act on freight bottlenecks
Regional Cities NSW Chair Cr Steve Krieg on Union Road, Lismore, where accessibility is an issue for heavy vehicles.
A new business case commissioned by Regional Cities NSW has identified 93 chokepoints across the state’s freight network responsible for $80 million in lost efficiencies each year.
Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) chair, Cr Steve Krieg said the Regional Transport Pinch Point Program report found the network’s connectivity and efficiency would be improved with a $346 million investment in 10 priority projects.
“The impact of freight bottlenecks - or pinch points - extends beyond the transport sector. Pinch points also affect the competitiveness of local businesses and make our roads more dangerous and our regions less connected,” Cr Krieg said.
“This is the first time Regional Cities NSW have collaborated on a project like this. It’s an important issue and we wanted to take a detailed look across the state and see the areas that need upgrades,” Cr Krieg said.
“Everyone who lives in regional NSW has seen how many trucks, b-doubles and road trains are on our roads now,” Cr Krieg said.
“Our freight task is growing daily and action is needed to make sure this growth is safe and efficient for our shared communities and industries,” Cr Krieg said.
The benefits of this approach have been confirmed by an independent panel examining freight policy reform on behalf of Transport for NSW. The Transport for NSW’s Freight Policy Reform: Interim Directions Paper called on the government to review RCNSW’s work as a basis for encouraging a “One Network” approach.
The paper further noted that “unlike other levels of government, local government has no direct mechanisms to raise funds for road construction and maintenance. This is an issue where heavy vehicles are regular or frequent users of these local roads.”
According to Transport for New South Wales, freight is worth nearly $66 billion to the state’s economy annually,[1] while Infrastructure Australia has forecast the volume of goods transported by road and rail will increase by 80 per cent over 20 years to 2031.[2]
The 10 priority projects identified in the Regional Transport Pinch Point Program report are:
● Armidale: Lambs Avenue / O'Connor Road / Dangar Street / Railway Parade / Kentucky Street (congestion)
● Dubbo: Boothenba Road / Newell Highway (safety)
● Dubbo: Wheelers Lane (accessibility)
● Dubbo: Boothenba Road (congestion)
● Goulburn/Marulan: Hume Highway (congestion)
● Goulburn: Windellama Road (connection issues from the Hume Highway)
● Lismore: Union Street (accessibility)
● South Gundurimba: Coraki Road to Wyrallah Ferry Road (accessibility)
● Tamworth: Country Road and Burgmanns Lane (alt. heavy vehicle route)
● Tuncester: Kyogle Road to Rosehill Road and Rifle Range Road (accessibility)
“This report identifies the location of problem areas in the freight network and quantifies the cost involved to get them fixed,” Cr Krieg said.
“RCNSW has put the business case to the NSW Government as one of our priorities for the 2025 budget with an initial request of $346 million,” Cr Krieg said.
RCNSW will continue to advocate for this investment in the lead up to the June 2025 State Budget.
[1] https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/freight-hub
[2] https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-06/australian-infrastructure-audit-volume-1.pdf
Image one: Armidale Regional Council Mayor Sam Coupland is pictured on the bridge over the railway line on Kentucky/Dangar Street, Armidale, with the intersection of Lambs Avenue, O'Connor Road and Kentucky Street behind. Addressing congestion at this location is among ten priority projects on NSW’s road freight network.
Image two: Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Josh Black is pictured at Wheelers Lane, Dubbo, the location of one of three freight bottlenecks within the local government area identified as a funding priority.
Image three: Regional Cities NSW Deputy Chair and Tamworth Region Mayor Russell Webb is pictured by the Oxley Highway near the Country Road roundabout. The proposed Western Freight Link through the south-western outskirts of Tamworth is one of ten road freight projects across the state identified as a funding priority.
Image four: Goulburn Mulwaree Regional Council Mayor Nina Dillon is pictured by the Hume Highway at Marulan. Easing congestion at this location has been identified among 10 priority projects for government investment to improve the safety and efficiency of NSW's freight network.