A report from the Auditor-General’s Office suggests Victoria’s rail freight 2050 target is still miles away
A report released through the Victorian government has raised the alarm that Melbourne’s freight rail goals aren’t on track to be met.
The state government has a target of the rail freight network moving 30 per cent of Melbourne’s container trade by 2050 to take more trucks off the road.
However, a report from the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office says the number of rail freight services going through the Port of Melbourne is less than half of the peak recorded in 2013/14.
The report was tabled in Victorian parliament yesterday, saying the volume of freight via rail hasn’t increased over time.
“This means that trucks have carried most of the 30 per cent growth in the port’s container freight trade,” the report says.
This comes after the state government launched a $38.1 million plan to subsidise rail containers to encourage the use of rail to move more freight than trucks.
To meet the 2050 target, the report says the rail share of freight movements must increase by 4.6 per cent each year until 2050.
The report recommends reviewing if the target is possible, while six other recommendations were made to Victoria’s transport and planning department in the annual plan.