Cade Lucas
Rail freight operator Pacific National has blamed repeated delays and uncertainty over funding for its decision to build its own freight hub at Little River rather than wait for a publicly funded facility at Truganina.
Earlier this week it was revealed that Australia’s largest private rail operator had submitted plans to build a warehouse and rail hub on the Wyndham side of Little River, next to the new Cherry Creek youth detention facility.
The privately funded terminal would cost between $3 and $5 billion to build, create an estimated 3600 jobs and be ready by 2029 when Pacific National’s lease on its current base at Dynon Road in West Melbourne, runs out.
The move puts the future of the publicly funded Western Interstate Freight Terminal at Truganina in doubt.
Pacific National CEO Paul Scurrah said with its current lease running out, the company had no choice but to go it alone.
“Unfortunately delays and funding blocks in progressing the Western Interstate Freight Terminal (WIFT) option, including the proposed enabling infrastructure called the Outer Metropolitan Ring transport corridor, mean a terminal in Truganina cannot be delivered in time to meet industry needs,” he said.
Mr Scurrah said Pacific National’s planned rail freight facility would help remove trucks from Melbourne’s roads and complement any future terminal at Truganina rather than jeopoardise it.
“Close to Melbourne’s freight centre of gravity, Pacific National’s plans for Little River will help to shift more freight from road to rail until delivery of the WIFT.”
Wyndham councillor Josh Gilligan agreed that delays to the Truganina terminal had forced the company’s hand, blaming state and federal governments for failing to work with the rail freight industry to give them certainty over the project.
However, Cr Gilligan said environmental concerns meant Little River was not the answer.
“This 350-hectare intensive industrial development must be subject to an environmental effects statement (EES) review given its proximity to the You Yangs, our grasslands and our rural community of Little River. Decades of hard fought environmental protections to stop development in green wedge land are at stake“.
Cr Josh Gilligan was due to introduce a Notice of Motion at Tuesday night’s council meeting, calling for the Little River proposal to be subject to an EES and for the federal government to provide a clear timeline on the delivery of the Truganina terminal.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Planning confirmed Pacific National’s proposal had been received.
“Pacific National’s proposal for a freight rail-terminal has been referred to the Minister for Planning for consideration to determine if an Environment Effects Statement is required, prior to any decision-making.”
