Neil Murphy. Photo courtesy of AdelaideNow.com.au.
The South Australian Government should immediately investigate the introduction of toll roads to assist funding a number of key transport infrastructure projects vital to SA’s future economic growth, the state’s peak freight transport advisory group said.
The South Australian Freight Council (SAFC) has unveiled four crucial transport infrastructure projects – with a combined cost of about $5.5 billion – that it believes are critical to the state’s future economic viability.
Unveiling the latest edition of its Moving Freight report, SAFC believes the introduction of toll roads needed to be investigated “as a matter of priority” to ensure these projects are completed as soon as practical.
“Tough decisions need to be made now by the South Australian Government to ensure these key transport infrastructure projects – and others we have identified – are undertaken before it is too late,” SA Freight Council chief executive officer Neil Murphy said.
“The time has come for both the state and commonwealth governments, and where appropriate the private sector, to increase their investment in this state’s freight and logistics infrastructure – creating jobs during the construction phase and longer-term wealth creation and sustainability for businesses and the community,” he said.
“Toll roads are one option to quicken the pace of infrastructure delivery, and should be investigated as a priority – not ruled out before meaningful debate has been had.
“Road user charges are not new in Australia– particularly in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – where road tolls are already in practice.
“Tolls are accepted interstate and should undergo further serious examination for South Australia to ensure the projects we have identified are constructed.
“An efficient, effective, internationally competitive, multi-modal, state-wide freight system is essential in enabling the state to achieve the social and economic future it demands.
“A fundamental objective of this system is the provision of relevant, timely and accessible infrastructure.”
SAFC’s Moving Freight report is aimed at improving South Australia’s deteriorating transport network. Key projects identified in it include:
A free-flowing North-South Corridor (cost $4 billion-plus) based around a comprehensive upgrade of South Road, including a proposed tunnel under Port and Grange roads, as the backbone of Adelaide’s transport system is a critical component of South Australia’s long-term economic prosperity. An accelerated road maintenance program to alleviate a maintenance deficit that has exponentially increased from the state government’s estimate of $160 million in 2003 (not including roads under the care and control of local government) to over $250 million today. Transport infrastructure to support the expanding mining industry, including the development of key deep water ports, and road and rail links to service the mining sector across SA (conservatively estimated to exceed $1 billion of public and private sector investment). Addressing ‘last mile’ road access issues through critical upgrades and access improvements, and creating more rest facilities on high-productivity vehicle routes for heavy vehicles across the state ($220 million-plus over a 20 year period). A load of freight may be travelling 1,000km or just 10km, but if road access is denied to loading or unloading locations for heavy combinations, operators will use smaller configurations, often for the full journey creating negative economic, social and environmental consequences.
In addition, the SA Freight Council recommends the state government:
Anticipates the need to expand capacity on key roads leading to and from mines – higher-capacity routes able to accommodate high productivity vehicles such as double and triple-road trains, B-triples, and new innovative road combinations that will be a necessary prerequisite for mine sustainability. Plans for population growth that will increase the demand for goods and services, and anticipate the impacts of price signalling through road pricing levers and the carbon tax by encouraging the use of larger, and more economical, safer and environmentally friendly heavy vehicles in the community. Mandates that all Structure Plans adjacent to key freight corridors and facilities incorporate design details for appropriate policies that ensure the free-flowing nature of freight corridors and insulates the community against negative environmental outcomes (noise, odour, etc.).
“It is now necessary for the state to develop a state-wide, integrated multi-modal transport plan to guide transport network and system development into the future,” Mr Murphy said.
“We have raised the idea of toll roads as we acknowledge funding available to all governments for transport infrastructure spending is presently constrained by falling revenues and competing demands from other sectors (health, education, etc.).”
“Nonetheless, governments at all three levels have a responsibility to facilitate investment in transport infrastructure and to set the appropriate investment environment which encourages private sector involvement where appropriate.
“It is time South Australia ventured into the 21st century, and like many jurisdictions around the world, introduced road user charges to facilitate the construction of these projects of state importance.”