Shifting one third of road freight to rail is one of the moves being suggested by the Climate Council in order to halve transport pollution by 2030.
The Inland Rail project – a 1600km freight railway set to connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, NSW and Queensland – is being touted as a solution to take thousands of trucks off roads each year.
But the project, which was due for completion in 2027, has come under the spotlight due to its progress, budget blow-outs and concerns over port access and flood risk in particular areas.
The idea is that double-stacked trains up to 1.8km long, with a 21-tonne axle load and maximum speed of 115km/h, will be able to carry the equivalent of 110 B-double trucks.
When the Inland Rail was announced in 2017, the estimated cost was $9.3 billion. By 2020 that increased to $16.4 billion.
A review into the Inland Rail completed in April last year found that the project cost had blown out to a whopping $31.4 billion, with the completion date looking more like 2030-31.
The project is now taking a staged approach to deliver the line between Beveridge, Victoria and Parkes, NSW, which has been prioritised for completion by 2027.
With that being said, is shifting a third of road freight to rail even a viable option?
Along with moving a significant portion of road freight to rail, in order to halve transport pollution in Australia by 2030, the Climate Council also suggests:
Increasing shared and active transport. For example, walking, riding, electrified public transport and rideshare; and
Electrifying shared fleets, so one-third of all passenger kilometres are travelled by electric vehicles by 2030, by prioritising vehicles like taxis, rideshare and fleet vehicles.
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