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IA roads and congestion focus welcomed by industry

Updated $58 billion priority list includes road network safety improvements and electric ambitions

 

Industry response to Infrastructure Australia’s (IA’s) 2019 Infrastructure Priority List has varied, with most bodies welcoming its focus on the need to invest in safer regional roads and fixing urban congestion.

IA pinpointed a record 121 nationally significant proposals and a $58 billion project pipeline, including 25 new infrastructure proposals.

NSW and national regional road network safety improvements, the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, and a national electric vehicle fast-charging network are such priorities.

Upgrades to the M4 Motorway in NSW, M80 Ring Road in Victoria, M1 Pacific Motorway in Queensland, the Newell Highway, Perth’s Mitchell and Kwanina Freeways, and Adelaide’s north-south corridor are examples of specific projects or initiatives chosen by IA.

“This year’s Priority List puts a greater focus on the need for nationally coordinated action to meet infrastructure challenges and opportunities, across diverse sectors,” IA says.

“This includes addressing overcrowding in remote housing around the country, and the need for a national program of works to address road safety in regional areas, both of which are joining the Priority List this year as High Priority Initiatives.”

The priority list was acknowledged by federal transport minister Michael McCormack, who says it provides independent “strategic advice and guidance to both state and fderal decision-makers about the nation’s ongoing infrastructure needs”.

ATA receptive

Australian Trucking Association (ATA) chair Geoff Crouch sees the list reflecting the importance of evidence-based investment decisions.

“The new project calling for regional road network safety improvements to invest in fixing high-risk sections of regional roads and deliver safer road infrastructure is a critical priority,” Crouch says.

“Infrastructure Australia report that relative to population size, the number of fatalities in regional areas is over four times higher than for major cities.

“This project now requires government support across Australia, and the ATA strongly welcomes the inclusion of a similar new project by the NSW Government to make regional road safety improvements in NSW.

“Governments should also support the call for a roads network optimisation program to address urban congestion.

“First added to the priority list in 2016 but still without a government proponent, Infrastructure Australia have again reconfirmed the need for governments to make multiple, co-ordinated, productivity enhancements to the road network to reduce congestion.

“These investments should be based on data and seek to optimise traffic flows through investments such as intersection treatments, traffic light sequencing, clearways and incident management.”

ALC wishlist

ALC chair Philip Davies reflects his organisation’s enthusiasm for the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy in particular.

“It is especially pleasing to note this year’s list again includes the development of a National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy as a high priority initiative,” Davies says.

“Australia must do everything possible to eliminate capacity constraints in our freight networks if we wish to succeed in an increasingly competitive global market. Securing investment in these priority projects will help to deliver that outcome.”

According to ALC, key projects that should take precedence include:  

  • Upgrading Chullora Junction to enhance Sydney’s freight rail network
  • Constructing the North East Link in Melbourne to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance freight efficiency
  • Pursuing a dedicated freight rail connection from Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane
  • Enhancing capacity and traffic flows on the Mitchell and Kwinana Freeways in Perth
  • Completing the upgrade of the Adelaide North-South road corridor to enhance capacity and efficiency of freight movement to the airport and port precincts
  • Investing in road and rail improvements on the Burnie to Hobart freight corridor
  • Implementation of the Advanced Train Management System on the ARTC network
  • Establishing a national electric vehicle fast-charging network to overcome ‘range anxiety’ among freight logistics operators.

Last year’s list left some on the outer. Read more here


EV charging call

With IA for the first time identifying the construction of a national electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging network as a high priority initiative, Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has jumped on the opportunity to reinforce the need to act, saying Australia lags behind comparable nations in terms of electric vehicle infrastructure.

“Infrastructure Australia is the objective authority on what the nation needs to start building. If their experts recognise a national fast-charging network as a high priority, then governments should heed the call,” EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari says

“The key factor holding back the mass uptake on electric vehicles in Australia is consumer uncertainty about charging infrastructure.

“As Infrastructure Australia correctly points out, the price of EVs is dropping and range is rising. But our leaders are pumping the brakes by not adequately supporting new charging infrastructure.

“Australians can and should be able to drive all over this massive nation with complete confidence in a zero-emission vehicle. The technology exists. We just need the political will to make it happen.

“The advantages of a mass transition to electric vehicles are manifest. Carbon emissions would fall, pollution in our cities would be phased out, our insecure dependence on foreign oil could be eradicated.”

Not all peased

The SA Freight Council (SAFC) provided a critical voice to the dialogue, outlining what it says is a lack of priority for its state.

“Disappointing to again see no South Australian High Priority Projects or High Priority Initiatives on the Infrastructure Priority List – not even the North South Corridor. Addressing this deficit must be a priority for the newly formed Infrastructure SA,” SAFC says.

“However pleasing to see the Joy Baluch AM Bridge in Port Augusta made it onto the list as an initiative (Spencer Gulf Crossing Capacity).”

The priority list was developed using data from the Australian Infrastructure Audit, and submissions from state and territory governments, industry and the community – including more than 100 submissions over the past 12 months, it says.

The full list of priorities can be found here, along with an interactive map of the priority locations here.

 

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