GrainGrowers landmark report finds top grain freight routes in Australia
Bridge weight restrictions and rail crossings are two barriers inhibiting productivity on key grain freight routes in Victoria, a new report reveals.
Weight restrictions on bridges, rail crossings, and variations in road access are holding back productivity in Victoria’s grain sector, a new report reveals.
The report from GrainGrowers, released Monday, provides a state-by-state breakdown of grain freight movements in Australia, identifying the top six grain freight routes in each state, and establishing key findings on productivity barriers and potential opportunities in the grain sector.
The report, done by leveraging CSIRO’s Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool, identifies the Dukes Highway, Newell Highway, Western Highway, Port Fairy Road, Goulburn Valley Freeway and the Calder Alternative Highway as Victoria’s top six grain freight routes.
It found weight restrictions on bridges were holding back productivity; rail crossing restrictions were adding regulatory burden; and high cross-border movements presented opportunities to increase productivity.
CSIRO TraNSIT estimates that over 570,000 trailer loads of grain are transported via road each year in Victoria, travelling an average distance of 176km, the report states.
GrainGrowers chief executive Shona Gawel said the findings outlined the challenges associated with grain transport.
“The report shows the complexity of freight movements and the unique challenges in each state — from bridge weight limits at the New South Wales/ Victorian border, to gaps in the PBS A-double network in Queensland, or the high volume of grain on local government roads in Western Australia,” she said.
“These bottlenecks add costs and reduce efficiency for growers.”
In NSW, the West Wyalong-Condobolin Road, Goldfields Way and the Federation Way, all connecting growing regions of the Riverina, were identified as the first, second and sixth top grain freight routes in the state.
GrainGrowers are calling on policymakers and infrastructure planners to use the key findings to prioritise investment in freight routes across the country.
