More roads take us nowhere

[ozbob]

farmonline --> More roads take us nowhere

AUSTRALIA'S obsession with building new roads at the expense of rail ­networks is harming the country's international competitiveness, business leaders have warned amid calls for changes to transport funding.

"The rail industry is not after ­handouts but rather is seeking a level playing field through pricing and policy reform," said Mike Carter, head of ­strategy and business development for freight rail group Aurizon.

"This is ­fundamental to driving long-term ­productive outcomes for the economy."

Grain exporters are becoming increasingly frustrated with Australia's poor freight rail networks, claiming lack of investment in rail infrastructure, which has reduced haulage loads and created track congestion, is forcing more grain onto trucks.

GrainCorp's supply chain manager, Matthew Warrington, told an industry conference in Melbourne on Tuesday railing grain to ports for export on the east coast of Australia now cost $10 a tonne more than in Western ­Australia, and $20 a tonne more than Canada.

A decade ago, 90 per cent of grain exported by GrainCorp arrived at ports by train but today only 10 per cent does, creating some 44,000 extra truck ­journeys annually.

Agricultural companies say farmers would transport more commodities by rail if networks were better.

"Australian exports would be a lot more competitive if we had a better under-rail system and farmgate returns would improve as well," said Cargill Australia spokesman Peter McBride.

"Rail is a lot more efficient than road and it's a lot cheaper."

Freight rail operators want ­regulatory changes to road charges to lower the comparative cost of using rail networks.

"Transport infrastructure investment decisions have typically been incremental in nature, heavily skewed towards road infrastructure and not 'game-changing' or 'nation-building'," said David Irwin, director of Asciano's Pacific National Coal business.

"These road investments, the lack of game-changing rail investments, and the disproportionate comparative cost of access to use rail compared to road, have all made freight on rail uncompetitive on short haul routes, and much less competitive on long haul routes."

Both Asciano and Aurizon are ­pushing for changes to charges applied to trucks for using roads, arguing trucks should pay fees linked to how far they travel and the roads that they use.

Infrastructure Australia has backed the proposed changes, arguing in a report released this month that ­removing the current "blunt taxing ­system" on trucks would create ­economic value by restoring a better balance between road and rail freight.

Infrastructure Australia has also criticised governments for assuming that more roads are the answer to ­Australia's transport problems without considering alternatives such as heavy intercontinental rail networks and mass transit systems.

The rail industry is facing a 70 per cent drop in funding over the next four years, said Bryan Nye, chief executive of the Australasian Railway Association.

"Rail received $2.7 billion in the ­federal budget, none of which was new money," Mr Nye said.

"This was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the $26.8 billion for roads produced over the forward estimates."

Freight consultants Juturna ­Infrastructure, which claim freight ­represents around 30 per cent of the total cost of grain production, described the east coast's rail networks as "a series of degraded and disconnected ­19th century branch line operations" in a report earlier this year.

[ozbob]

ABC 7.30 --> Is it the end of the road for Australia's love affair with the car?

For the first time in history, young Australians are less likely to be buying a car and, even though we have more cars than ever before, we're driving them less, so have we hit peak car? ...

>> http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2014/s4133094.htm