$40 MILLION RAIL UPGRADE SOUTH COAST LINE COMPLETE
The NSW Government’s completed $40 million rail upgrade to 13 kilometres of track on the South Coast Line will allow bigger freight movements and provide a major boost to the region’s economy.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the upgrade will play a significant role in ensuring more freight can be transported by rail in NSW.
“The NSW Government is securing a brighter future for NSW families. We are achieving this by building infrastructure that increase productivity around the state to ensure people have their goods and services sooner,” Mr Farraway said.
“Rail freight is the most sustainable and cost-effective way to transport large quantities over long distances - one 600-metre-long train can carry the equivalent load of more than 54 trucks and enough wheat to make more than 250,000 loaves of bread.
“With growing freight demand along the South Coast rail line, being able to increase capacity will make a significant difference, allowing users to reach markets quickly and efficiently.
“Thanks to this upgrade, it is anticipated an additional 350,000 tonnes of rail freight will be moved along the South Coast Line each year which will provide a welcome boost to the local economy.”
Australian-owned agribusiness Manildra Group, who employ 1,000 people and send their homegrown products to every continent, will benefit from the rail line upgrade.
“The track upgrade to 25-tonne axle loading between Berry to Bomaderry and the tunnels between Kiama and Berry allows our company to operate heavier and longer rail services through the network,” Manildra Group National Transport and Logistics Manager Mark Ownes said.
“This ultimately means we can meet both our current and future growth targets for both inbound raw materials to our Bomaderry facility and for our export freight to the Port of Botany to meet the export market, which benefits both regional employment and the NSW trade and economy.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Wollongong and the Illawarra Peter Poulos said the Government is improving NSW’s supply chain network so communities can get the goods and services they want when they need it most.
“Since 2011, $5.15 billion has been committed to upgrading the Princes Highway from Albion Park to the Victorian border,” Mr Poulos said.
“These upgrades along with the completion of the rail line will transform the way freight moves across our state, which helps local businesses, our economy, and most of all families.”
Larger freight trains are expected to be operating on the South Coast Line by July.
For more information visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/fixing-country-rail