source: the west australian

Port sale tied to outer harbour bid

Privatisation moves: Fremantle Port is marked down to be sold off.

The City of Kwinana has made an ambitious pitch for the construction of the outer harbour at Cockburn Sound to be brought forward by tying the project to the privatisation of Fremantle Port.

The Kwinana council yesterday unveiled a proposal badged “Indian Ocean Gateway” — a pitch for the metropolitan freight task to shift south by upgrading road and rail links and creating a protection zone around the Kwinana industrial area to prevent urban encroachment.

The proposal has been timed to capitalise on debate around the future of Fremantle Port sparked by the Barnett Government’s Perth Freight Link project. Both sides of State politics say that an outer harbour needs to be developed at some stage in the future though Kwinana is calling for an accelerated timetable.

With Fremantle Port up for privatisation through a long-term lease, Kwinana wants the tender to include a requirement that the outer harbour be built within 10 years.

“The time to act is now,” Kwinana mayor Carole Adams said. “We urge debate on the Indian Ocean Gateway before key decisions are locked away.”

Kwinana’s proposal would also cap container movements through Fremantle Harbour at 500,000 per year by 2025 — 200,000 fewer than current levels — with all container freight to transition to the outer harbour by 2030. Fremantle Port would then be freed for urban redevelopment, under Kwinana’s plan.

The story can be seen by click HERE

Damning report for Freight Link

Check out this article from the West Australian.

Freight Link screws turn on Barnett

source: the west australian

Freight Link screws turn on Barnett

Local Residents protest against the Perth Freight Link in Hamilton Hill. Picture: Ben Crabtree/The West Australian.

WA senator Mathias Cormann has thrown down the gauntlet to Colin Barnett, telling the Premier the Commonwealth expects the Perth Freight Link to be built in full — and with work on the contentious stage 2 section to begin next year.

The Premier has in recent weeks cast doubt over the stage 2 section of the proposed freight link west of Stock Road, saying his Government is committed only to building Roe 8 — the section of highway proposed between Kwinana Freeway and Stock Road.

This week, Mr Barnett reiterated that no decision had yet been made about stage 2 and he used the language of “if” while referring to building the freight link.

“We expect that stage 2 of the Perth Freight Link will begin next year as agreed between the Australian Government and the WA State Government,” Senator Cormann told The Weekend West yesterday.

“All the indications that we have received from the State Government is that this will happen.
“Contracts for Roe 8 are about to be signed and we expect that the second phase of this critical infrastructure project will proceed as planned with construction getting under way next year.”

The rest of this story can be read HERE

Main Roads Spark Fury - The West Australian

source: the west australian

Main Roads Spark Fury

Nalder blames Ludlam for Freight delay - The West Australian

source: the west australian

Nalder blames Ludlam for Freight delay

 Nalder becomes confused, again

West Australian Transport Minister Dean Nalder has admitted he incorrectly claimed the contentious Perth Freight Link project had received all environmental approvals, including federal.

And he's laid the blame at the feet of the Greens, telling state parliament on Wednesday that the Commonwealth "has had to delay because of a political stunt by Scott Ludlam".

Mr Nalder made the comment about approvals at an earlier press conference but later told parliament he'd received advice that it was incorrect.

He's now angry at Senator Ludlam, who hopes to initiate an inquiry into the $1.6 billion project, given the Abbott government refused a Senate motion ordering it to table further documents about the road's costs and benefits.

Mr Nalder told reporters he was not concerned about an inquiry.

He also said he had good commercial reasons not to reveal those project details, which could prompt proponents to bid using inflated prices.

"We are going through a process and working with proponents as to the appropriate contract and the pricing that goes with that," Mr Nalder said.

"We're not going to put at risk the contract negotiations and put a potentially higher price on anything by putting out information that would put the state in a worse position.

"I have no qualms about the information and the business case behind this - it is a great project."
Mr Nalder said he would share details about the project once the route was finalised, but angry members of the community - including residents who may have their homes resumed to make way for the road - are demanding answers now.

He apologised to Palmyra residents for the uncertainty they're enduring while a tunnel option is considered.

The WA government was "not rushing it" and was mulling over all of the alternatives routes, he added, and the priority was ensuring safe roads and tackling congestion.

Mr Nalder also emphasised the road would only impose tolls on trucks, and said the state government was committed to not extending that to private vehicles.

read the original article from the West Australian HERE

Toll roads ‘inevitable’ in Perth, says expert - The West Australian

source: the west australian

Toll roads ‘inevitable’ in Perth, says expert

University of Leeds traffic expert Robert Bain. Picture: Michael O’Brien/The West Australian

More toll roads are inevitable for Perth — it is only a matter of when.

That is the opinion of visiting British traffic consultant Robert Bain, who said road pricing was one of the obvious solutions to funding important transport infrastructure.

Perth could learn a lot from other cities around the world who were using the latest technology to ensure road pricing was used cleverly strategically. Dr Bain said that in addition to raising funds, pricing could also be used to manipulate traffic and improve traffic flow.

For example, pricing could be restricted to peak periods to encourage motorists to use other times of the day. Perth will have its first toll road when the Perth Freight Link is completed, though the toll will apply only to big vehicles.

The Barnett Government has consistently ruled out any other form of road pricing.

Read the rest from The West Australian HERE

Personal Call To Save Wetlands - the west australian

source: the west australian

SANDRA ROE, GREAT GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER OF JOHN SEPTIMUS ROE

Tunnel under Swan River was considered as part of Perth Freight Link, Dean Nalder says

source: jade macmillan of the west australian

 Tunnel under Swan River was considered as part of
Perth Freight Link, Dean Nalder says

"this rediculous plan included the use of your tax money to prove what a child would have concluded - this option was never an option - it was a costly way for Nalder to appear to say he has explored all options before pressing forward on a half assed and unwanted road infrastructure project. If your money is being used so flagrantly, consider the entire scope of this project and its $2 Billion dollar price tag offering no useable benefit to anyone within the communities it affects."

 this commentary added by No Roe 8 Perth Freight Link Info Hub - The preceding was not part of the original article

The West Australian Government considered tunneling underneath the Swan River as part of the Perth Freight Link project, Transport Minister Dean Nalder has revealed.

However, the proposal was found to be economically unviable, he told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) function.

Mr Nalder requested different options be explored for the second stage of the $1.6 billion project, following angry reaction from Palmyra residents whose homes would be demolished under the original proposal.

Please continue reading the original article HERE

Past News: Feds want freight link documents kept secret - The West Australian

souce: the west australian

Feds want freight link documents kept secret

Trucks travelling east along a busy section of High Street between Stirling Highway and Carrington Street. 

Picture by Megan Powell/The West Australian

The Federal Government is refusing to release nearly 90 documents about the $1.6 billion taxpayer-funded Perth Freight Link on the grounds that to do so would compromise commercially sensitive modelling work done by by an accounting firm and could damage relations between the Commonwealth and WA. 

read the rest of this important article HERE

 

Secret Report Urges New Freo Bridge - The West Australian

 source: the west australian

Secret Report Urges New Freo Bridge

A secret Barnett Government submission for Federal funding admits Fremantle port cannot grow its container traffic unless a new bridge is built across the Swan River.

The revelation has been seized on by opponents of the Government’s $1.6 billion Perth Freight Link project as evidence that the road — the most expensive in WA history — will fail to alleviate transport bottlenecks or help grow the port without hundreds of millions of extra spending on a new bridge.

The draft submission to Infrastructure Australia, dated August 2012, was for a combined road and rail bridge that would be used for commuter car traffic and freight on rail with a preliminary cost estimate of $250 million.

continue reading HERE

Super plan to save on freight link - The West Australian

source: The West Australian

Super plan to save on freight link 

Transport Minister Dean Nalder has revealed plans to sell the income stream from tolls on heavy vehicles on the Perth Freight Link to the likes of a superannuation company, meaning the $1.6 billion project would not cost the State a cent. 

Read More HERE