He outlined the case of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal in south-west Sydney, which is planned to be the largest of its kind.

“Projections indicate significant future growth in containerised freight coming into, and moving throughout Australia,” explains Mr Greenhalgh. 

“To address this, there is a clear economic and environmental case for a mode shift for containerised freight from trucks to trains, to improve supply chain efficiency and address urban road congestion. For Sydney, this is especially true in relation to the movement of freight from Port Botany to the industrial areas in the west and south-west.

“Accommodating intermodal terminals in large urban areas is extremely difficult. The Moorebank site has shown this. While it is considered the most suitable and perhaps the only viable option to address Sydney’s needs in the short to medium term, the site faced significant challenges from the community and regulators throughout the approval process. This demonstrates that there are no easy options. 

“If Australia is to remain competitive on the world stage, effective planning for intermodal development at both the strategic and project level is essential.”

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