There is often friction between critical supply chains and dense urban communities, which have different priorities for local amenity and need access to congested roads and rail lines.
To tackle this challenge, there must be place-based agreements for all major export gateways that schedule infrastructure and network management initiatives. These plans should be prepared in partnership with the local community.
Such agreements could promote the uptake of quiet and zero-emission trucks and freight locomotives that use hydrogen, electric or hybrid power sources, and allow modified access conditions for these. For example, low-noise electric trucks could be exempted from night-time curfews, meaning they can operate when congestion is lower.