Port's Weighty Issue

Illawarra Mercury

Friday January 18, 2008

By BRETT COX

THE ability of Port Kembla's road infrastructure to cope with heavy loads is under question after a transport company was refused permission to carry large equipment from the area.

The ban prompted the general manager of transport company Megalift to criticise the State Government's decision to transfer shipping activity from Sydney Harbour to Port Kembla without sufficient "infrastructure planning".

Brian Lay said Port Kembla could be adversely affected, as international shipping companies were considering dropping cargo off in other states and transferring it by road to NSW.

The criticism began after RailCorp refused Megalift permission to truck a 186-tonne gas turbine over the railway bridge along Springhill Rd on Sunday.

This was despite the RTA approving movement of the turbine on all its roads.

Because of RailCorp's refusal, the turbine, bound for the Uranquinty Power Station in the Riverina, remained near the multipurpose birth at Port Kembla for five days.

Mr Lay said heavier loads had been transported across the bridge in the past and suggested RailCorp had "changed the goalposts" over what it would allow on the bridge.

The decision was made despite Megalift investing "a lot of money and engineering" into strengthening the RailCorp bridge so it could handle the heavier loads.

Their work is clearly visible under the bridge.

"The issue is that the NSW Government moved the port from Sydney, spent millions of dollars to do it and there's not the infrastructure to move things from the port," Mr Lay said.

"Shipping lines I am talking to in Europe are considering using other ports and then transporting (goods) back to NSW."

The bridge, as well as traffic lights along Tom Thumb Rd that obstructed large vehicles, needed to be fixed in a hurry, he said.

South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris said infrastructure in the area required a "spruce-up", with projects like the Maldon-Dombarton rail link needed to fill a "deficiency in infrastructure".

But Mr Rorris said he believed the State Government had looked at "ballpark specifications" for roads and bridges after the shipping transfer from Sydney was announced in 2003.

Acting NSW Opposition Leader Andrew Stoner said "it beggars belief Labor could have gone ahead with moving commercial trade from Sydney Harbour to Port Kembla without ensuring the surrounding roads and infrastructure can cope".

"After 13 years in power Labor still does not have an integrated transport plan involving road, rail and ports," he said.

"The NSW Opposition has already raised serious concerns about the safety of additional freight trucks travelling on Mt Ousley."

The stalemate was broken at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon after State Government representatives agreed to allow Megalift to carry the turbine over the bridge yesterday.

Mr Lay was tight-lipped when asked about details of the meeting, but the Mercury understands concerns about the general standard of infrastructure around Port Kembla and how it would be addressed long-term were discussed.

Port Corporation chief executive Dom Figliomeni said the bridge "needs some work on it".

He said since the transfer of general cargo and cars from Sydney it was becoming more common for heavier loads to arrive at Port Kembla.

A spokeswoman for RailCorp denied the bridge was unsafe, saying it complied to standards for non-restricted vehicles.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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