Transport for NSW releases freight policy reform: Interim Directions Paper
Image: Ettamogah Rail Hub
An independent panel examining freight policy reform on behalf of Transport for NSW has recommended the opportunities presented in Regional Cities New South Wales’ (RCNSW) business case for a Regional Transport Pinch Point Program be investigated.
Transport for NSW’s Freight Policy Reform: Interim Directions Paper aims to inform government’s settings and investment to support the growing freight task to 2040.
RCNSW provided a submission as part of the consultation for this paper which featured:
A total of 93 freight ‘pinch points’, or bottlenecks across regional NSW that contribute to around $80 million annually in freight inefficiency costs;
A schedule of network improvements to remove these pinch points, including 10 ‘shovel-ready’ projects that could be tackled immediately;
A business case for $350 million to fund these 10 projects;
A recommendation that the Port of Newcastle is seen as a key priority port for regional New South Wales.
The Directions Paper agreed with RCNSW’s approach on the developing a ‘one network’ and ‘ground up’ approach to infrastructure investment prioritisation, noting: “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.”
Recommendations from the directions paper that align with RCNSW’s advocacy were:
Review current funding strategies including the costs and benefits of introducing local government strategic freight plans to provide a more ground up approach to prioritising grant funding. This approach would also provide context for the development and implementation of the National Service Level Standards for local roads; and
Investigate the opportunities presented in the RCNSW business case and confirm whether the approach taken with this initiative provides a good framework for encouraging a ‘one network’ approach to infrastructure investment prioritisation.
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