The NSW Government has been called upon by the Australian Logistics Council (ALC), Australian Trucking Association (ATA), Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA), Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA), Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) and Shipping Australia Limited (SAL) to re-instate access ramps for heavy vehicles at Canal Road, St Peters, to the design of Sydney Gateway, so that the project delivers the promised safety and efficiency benefits for the freight industry and for the local community.
The issue was highlighted during the opening of the 2019 ALC & ATA Supply Chain Safety Summit in Sydney, where attendees heard how the decision of the NSW Government to withdraw the ramps poses a risk to the safety of local residents and road users, and undermines efforts to reduce road congestion in the Port Botany – Sydney Airport precinct.
ALC CEO, Kirk Coningham, said, “When Gateway was first proposed several years ago, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) had designed ramps to service the Cooks River Intermodal Terminal – which is Australia’s largest empty container park and a significant rail intermodal freight hub – directly from Gateway.
“This was a sensible approach, given that ramps at Canal Road would remove at least 1600 truck movements a day from local roads. This would improve road safety, reduce congestion and enhance community amenity around Mascot, where the residential population has grown exponentially over recent years due to high-density apartment developments.
“However, RMS subsequently decided to remove these ramps from the Gateway design, citing cost concerns. We believe this is short-sighted and significantly diminishes the potential freight benefits of the Gateway project by contributing to gridlock on local roads in attempting to service NSW’s key international container port.
“At the same time, it will isolate Australia’s largest empty container park from this new major port road artery and will condemn local Mascot residents to ongoing truck noise, safety and emission issues.
“If Sydney Gateway is to fully deliver its intended benefits of reducing road congestion in and around Port Botany and Sydney Airport, it is essential that the heavy vehicle access ramps at Canal Road be reinstated to the design prior to the commencement of construction.
“We call on RMS and the NSW Government to work cooperatively and expeditiously with industry to resolve this issue, and ensure Sydney Gateway fully delivers on its promise of reduced congestion, better road safety and enhanced productivity for freight operators and for all those who rely on the vital economic precinct around Port Botany and Sydney Airport.”