NSW and Queensland are projected to experience growth in rail infrastructure services DEC over the period to 2031, as a result of continued growth in coal export volumes. WA is projected to experience significant growth in freight rail DEC over the next five years, with growth anticipated to continue at a slower rate after 2021.198
Audit findings 53. Demand for freight rail infrastructure is projected to grow, in particular for resource bulk commodity haulage in WA, Queensland and NSW. 54. Freight rail will need to play a growing role in the movement of goods between ports and inland freight terminals, and in the movement of containerised and general freight over longer distances. |
Rail services on the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne east coast corridor will continue to experience capacity constraints, especially when passing through the Sydney network.199 In 2013, the Australian Government committed $300 million200 to finalise plans, fund engineering design and carry out environmental assessment for development of an inland freight line between Brisbane and Melbourne. The 1,700 km track is projected to cut freight transportation time between Brisbane and Melbourne by 10 hours and increase the competitiveness of rail transport relative to road transport.201 Significant productivity gains could be realised by use of 1,800 metre trains, with the potential for a shift to 3,600 metre trains in future.
Rail will remain cost efficient for freight service providers over medium to long distance transportation of goods, while intermodal facilities can optimise the balance between the road and rail freight handling capacities of the network.
The benefits of growth in the modal share of rail in handling the overall freight task can include:
■ improved land use and urban densification;
■ reduced carbon emissions;
■ reduced congestion; and
■ reduced accidents.202
Governments should seek to support projects and implement reforms that will support continued productivity growth in the rail services sector, and look to capitalise on the benefits of rail within an integrated cross-modal network plan.
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198. ACIL Allen Consulting (2014a)
199. Deloitte Access Economics (2011b)
200. Truss, MP (2015)
201. Australian Rail Track Corporation (2014)
202. Deloitte Access Economics (2011b)