Dedicated freight rail link from Acacia Ridge to the Port of Brisbane.

[ozbob]

Establishing the need for the last mile. Making the case for a dedicated freight rail link from Acacia Ridge to the Port of Brisbane

https://www.portbris.com.au/getmedia/b793e8b5-edee-4945-850f-6feec8835720/DAE-Connecting-Inland-Rail-to-the-Port-of-Brisbane.pdf

" ... With both Cross River Rail and Inland
Rail projects well advanced, now is the
time to future-proof the region's freight
network and deliver wide-ranging
community benefits through the inclusion
of a Dedicated Freight Rail Connection
to the Port of Brisbane.  ... "

Interesting read this.

[ozbob]

8th September 2019

Port of Brisbane --> Dedicated Port rail connection to take millions of trucks off the road

A new report says a dedicated freight rail connection to the Port of Brisbane could take 2.4 million of trucks off the road by 2035.

The 'game-changing' project, which would separate the existing shared passenger and freight rail networks, would provide a dedicated link from the Inland Rail project to the Port of Brisbane.

The Deloitte Access Economics paper – released today – said Queensland's growing population and the subsequent freight task, climbing from 1.35 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent shipping container) in 2018 to around 5 million in 2050, necessitated an urgent shift from the region's reliance on road freight.

Port of Brisbane CEO Roy Cummins said if Queenslanders wanted to protect the liveability of their region, as well as create jobs and boost export capacity, then the time was right to connect Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane.

"If we don't directly connect Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane, Queenslanders won't get the jobs, but they will get the trucks," Mr Cummins said.

"That's because as Queensland's population grows, so too that the freight task. The way our supply chain is established at present, that means a truck tsunami is heading our way.

"Currently only 2% of containerised freight comes to the Port of Brisbane via rail. The rest arrives on trucks.

"In 2018, that equated to four million trucks movements. With the current rail constraints in place, that number would increase to over 13 million by 2050.

"Deloitte's paper shows that by building a dedicated freight rail connection to the Port of Brisbane and achieving a globally competitive rail modal share, we could remove 2.4 million truck movements from the local road network.

"A dedicated freight rail connection has already been acknowledged by all levels of Government as a key priority through the SEQ City Deals proposition, and it is viewed by industry as a game-changer for the Queensland economy.

"But its greatest benefits will be for the community – more jobs, safer roads for all commuters, less congestion and less emissions."

The DAE paper found a 30% rail modal share to the Port of Brisbane by 2035 could deliver:

2.4 million less truck movements

Around $820 million in economic, social and environmental benefits each year

An average of 1,200 new jobs each year to 2045

$195 million in reduced congestion costs to the economy

$155 million in reduced road maintenance costs

$215 million in savings from reduced greenhouse gas emissions

$210 million in increased international export value

Savings of $130 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent shipping container)

A $5.4 billion increase to Gross Regional Product over the period to 2045

The DAE report can be found: HERE


ENDS

[ozbob]

ATN --> PORT OF BRISBANE UNVEILS INLAND RAIL ACCESS REPORT

Deloitte Access Economics study highlights gains from dedicated link.


A dedicated freight rail line from Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane (POB) "could take 2.4 million of trucks off the road by 2035", according to a Deloitte Access Economics (DAE) report for the port operator.

Separating the existing shared passenger and freight rail networks to link the Inland Rail project to the Port of Brisbane while allowing for double-stacking of containers is seen as both logical and essential by proponents.

But it was not budgeted for and the 2015 Inland Rail business case identified the existing infrastructure as being suitable until 2030.

Despite that, a $1.5 million joint federal and Queensland government study was announced in April 2018 and its findings are awaited eagerly by rail, logistics and port interests.

It is understood Queensland transport minister Mark Bailey's office is seeking details on when and how the joint report, said at one stage to have been due mid-year, is to be released.

The 118-page DAE paper finds Queensland's growing population and the subsequent freight task, climbing from 1.35 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent shipping container) in 2018 to around 5 million in 2050, "necessitated an urgent shift from the region's reliance on road freight".

Port of Brisbane CEO Roy Cummins, who described the lack of dedicated access to the port as the project's "missing link", argues that if Queenslanders wanted to protect the liveability of their region, as well as create jobs and boost export capacity, then the time was right to connect Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane.

"If we don't directly connect Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane, Queenslanders won't get the jobs, but they will get the trucks," Cummins says.

"That's because as Queensland's population grows, so too that the freight task. The way our supply chain is established at present, that means a truck tsunami is heading our way.

"Currently, only 2 per cent of containerised freight comes to the Port of Brisbane via rail. The rest arrives on trucks.

"In 2018, that equated to four million trucks movements. With the current rail constraints in place, that number would increase to over 13 million by 2050.

"Deloitte's paper shows that by building a dedicated freight rail connection to the Port of Brisbane and achieving a globally competitive rail modal share, we could remove 2.4 million truck movements from the local road network.

"A dedicated freight rail connection has already been acknowledged by all levels of Government as a key priority through the SEQ City Deal Proposition and it is viewed by industry as a game-changer for the Queensland economy.

"But its greatest benefits will be for the community – more jobs, safer roads for all commuters, less congestion and less emissions."

The DAE paper finds a 30 per cent rail modal share to the Port of Brisbane by 2035 could deliver:

2.4 million fewer truck movements
around $820 million in economic, social and environmental benefits each year
an average of 1,200 new jobs each year to 2045
$195 million in reduced congestion costs to the economy
$155 million in reduced road maintenance costs
$215 million in savings from reduced greenhouse gas emissions
$210 million in increased international export value
savings of $130 per TEU
a $5.4 billion increase to Gross Regional Product over the period to 2045
The 2019 Inland Rail Conference, held jointly late last month by the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) and Australasian Railway Association (ARA), also rang a bell for an upgraded link as a matter of urgency.

The two most relevant points are:

Interconnectivity is everything. While Inland Rail will play a critical role as a 'spine' in our freight network, it will ultimately rely on connections to other key freight infrastructure, including intermodal hubs and ports
Port connectivity is critical. Separation of passenger and freight rail in our cities is critical for our supply chain efficiency. The release of the joint study undertaken by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments into freight rail links between the Acacia Ridge and the Port of Brisbane should be expedited.
The ALC responds to the DAE report, tweeting that the direct connection is "a vital aspect of fully realising the productivity and safety aspects of the project".

The need is accepted at federal advisory body Infrastructure Australia, which acknowledges the passenger-trail constraint and classes the initiative as a 'high priority' but with a five- to 10-year timeframe.

Meanwhile, Bailey insists a broader solution is needed, including for passenger rail.

Bailey says issues relating to the future rail connection to the Port of Brisbane and the Salisbury to Beaudesert future rail corridor also needed resolution along the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge section.

"Any increase in the number of freight trains passing through the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge section needs to be complemented by a passenger rail line from Salisbury to Beaudesert," Bailey adds of a region that is one of the fastest-growing in the state.

"It makes sense from a planning point of view to upgrade the rail corridor for freight and passenger services at the same time.

"Until improvements to the rail connection to the port can be resolved, and the passenger rail upgrade built, coal trains will need to continue using the existing West Moreton Rail System and freight container trains between Kagaru and Acacia Ridge would be limited to single stack."

[#Metro]

1200 new jobs per year?

If the truck movements go down, doesn't that mean fewer jobs due to increased efficiency making those positions redundant?

[verbatim9]

Couriermail.com.au---> Push for dedicated rail line to complete inland rail from Acacia Ridge to Port of Brisbane gathers steam.

Land shortage builds steam for dedicated freight rail connection to the Port of Brisbane

A new report deems a dedicated freight rail connection to the Port of Brisbane as "critical to maintaining the competitiveness of the international trading activity in southeast Queensland".

A new report says a land shortage is displacing industrial operators and increasing the need for a dedicated rail link to the Port of Brisbane.

STEAM is building for a dedicated freight rail connection to Brisbane's port with freehold developable land in the Australia TradeCoast precinct hitting a critical shortage.

According to a new Colliers International report, the scarcity of available land in the trade hub is increasingly displacing industrial operators needing access to international markets.

"Hence, there is a need to improve connectivity between the other industrial precincts," it states.

The report deems infrastructure for a dedicated freight rail connection to the port as "critical to maintaining the competitiveness of the international trading activity in southeast Queensland".

Colliers' national director of industrial, Anthony White, said the latest research provided further strength to the case for rail connectivity as a means of taking pressure off southeast Queensland arterial road networks.

"Currently, it is not viable for port operators to utilise inland rail as it stops 38km from the Port," he said.

In a recent Deloitte Access Economics report for the port operator, it was estimated a dedicated freight rail connection could create an additional $820 million in economic and community benefits, while also taking 2.4 million trucks off city roads by 2035.

Infrastructure Australia considers the project a high priority initiative and a feasibility study is being undertaken by the state and federal governments.

Colliers' Australia TradeCoast Industrial Land Supply Report identifies only 151ha as vacant and available for industrial development on a freehold basis, outside the Port of Brisbane and Brisbane Airport.
.
"Whilst the Federal and State Governments retain ownership of the land at the airport and the port, the leasehold tenure inhibits direct investment by industrial operators or external investment vehicles," Mr White said.

"Brisbane Airport Corporation and Port of Brisbane have proved to be highly capable and competitive industrial developers, primarily offering a solution to specific market sectors like corporate occupiers looking at long-term warehousing, container parks and airfreight facilities.

"Current road and air infrastructure investment of circa $2 billion supports the precinct's growth potential and would provide a competitive advantage for logistic operators.

"However, dedicated rail connectivity to the precinct is crucial to provide competitive access to industrial operators located outside the ATC (Australia TradeCoast)."

Colliers' research manager Karina Salas said based on historical take up rates, the ATC has industrial-zoned land supply (leasehold and freehold) to at least 2033, but it could be extended to about 2042.

"Pinkenba is the main location for future freehold industrial developments in the ATC, with circa 45ha of developable industrial-zoned land," she said.

"Leasing activity within the precinct is forecast to remain solid, even though ATC is expected to remain the most expensive location for tenants, reporting average prime net face rents of $118/sq m compared to Brisbane offering average prime net face rents in the range of $103/sq m to $111/sq m in different locations."

The latest Colliers report also states that freight through Brisbane's port has been increasing at a compound annual rate of 4 per cent over the past five years and by 2048 it is forecast to be handling up to 4.8 million containers a year.

"Based on these projections, dedicated freight rail infrastructure connecting the Port with the rest of Queensland and Australia is necessity to efficiently handle the freight growth, maintain the precinct's productivity levels and mitigate the risk of reducing liveability in surrounding areas," it says.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/480-2024.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 480
Asked on 30 April 2024

MR D CRISAFULLI ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND MINISTER
FOR DIGITAL SERVICES (HON B MELLISH)

QUESTION:

With reference to the Port of Brisbane Planning project (Investment ID 1500732)—
Will the Minister advise the spend to date, and what has been delivered for this amount?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Broadwater for the question.

As part of the Inland Rail Bilateral Agreement, the Australian Government committed $20 million
to undertake further investigations to improve freight connectivity to the port. The Queensland
Government is providing in-kind contribution to these studies, which are underway and being
completed through a number of stages.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is working with the Australian Government
to progress the next stage of the project. The next phase of work will build on freight demand
analysis and preliminary capacity investigations of the rail network that has already been
undertaken. I am advised that as at the end of April 2024, TMR's records indicate a total spend
on the Port of Brisbane investigations was $4,901,213.