The Australasian Railway Association CEO Caroline Wilkie has welcomed today’s announcement that the Port of Melbourne’s Port Rail Transformation Project is set to go ahead.

The $125 million initiative will involve significant rail infrastructure works and a new rail operating framework inside the port that will provide an alternative to moving containers by trucks.

“The project will enhance the more efficient movement of freight out of Australia’s largest container port and contribute to a more productive supply chain for decades to come,” said Ms Wilkie.

“Improving rail access is not just good for the economy, allowing a more efficient transport of containers, but it will reduce road congestion and pollution around the port.”

Port of Melbourne has announced that it will work closely with port users and other stakeholders to ensure the opportunities and benefits are realised by the industry. After a strong Expressions of Interest process, Port of Melbourne will execute a Request for Proposal for the infrastructure works with new infrastructure construction expected to commence before the end of the year.

This follows on from another announcement this week that the Port Botany Rail Line Duplication and Cabramatta Passing Loop project are now on Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List.

In May 2018 the Australian Government announced a funding commitment to duplicate the remaining 2.9 km freight rail single track section of the Port Botany Rail Line between Mascot and Botany and construction of a passing loop on the Southern Sydney Freight Line at Cabramatta.

It will alleviate constraints and increase the capacity of Sydney’s freight rail network to meet existing and future demands and aims to provide the capacity to meet predicted growth in the containerised freight task and support rail services between Port Botany and metropolitan freight intermodal terminals.

ENDS