Brisbane City Council has reiterated the priority for an automated rail tunnel linking the Acacia Ridge intermodal freight terminal to the Port of Brisbane, describing it as a "significant community benefit".
Key points:
- Brisbane City Council says an automated rail tunnel between Acacia Ridge and the Port of Brisbane is needed
- The connection between the Acacia Ridge intermodal and the port is a critical link for Inland Rail
- Such a tunnel would have "significant" community benefit, the council says
The council's industrial strategy, released on Friday, details the need for an automated rail tunnel across the 38-kilometre distance, which has been a critical bone of contention for the $14.5-billion federal Inland Rail project.
Inland Rail currently plans to use the existing shared passenger and freight rail line between Acacia Ridge and the port, using single-stacked trains through suburban Brisbane to complete the 1,700km journey from Melbourne.
The former federal government and Queensland government put $20 million to a business case investigating a potential tunnel between Acacia Ridge and the port, with the outcome of that yet to be known.
The Port of Brisbane in 2019 estimated only 2 per cent of its freight arrived via rail, with 98 per cent driven on heavy trucks through Brisbane's suburban streets.
"The proposed future Inland Rail dedicated freight route will connect Brisbane to Melbourne via regional Victoria and New South Wales, significantly reducing Brisbane's export and non-export freight volumes across the road network," the council's new industrial strategy said.
"The volume of freight that passes through this intermodal terminal is expected to increase, raising the importance of the area for industrial uses.
"Creating an automated freight tunnel connection to the port would provide significant community benefit."
The council estimates the city's industry will contribute $22 billion to Brisbane's gross regional product and account for 13 per cent of its workforce by 2041.
Under review
A full review of the Inland Rail project was recently announced by federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, who described it as "over budget, behind schedule and with no plan for where it will start or end".
The review will include assessing options for new intermodal terminals in Melbourne and Brisbane, and improving rail links in the two cities.
Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner last year told News Corp he believed the only option for the final stretch of Inland Rail was a tunnel.
The strategy, which is a broad overview of the city's shifting industrial landscape and future priorities to support both urban and industrial development, has no costings attached.
But, the strategy says, "efficient movement of people, goods and ideas is critical to sustaining Brisbane's industrial precincts", and a key action is to "advocate for a dedicated automated rail freight tunnel connection between the Acacia Ridge Intermodal Terminal and the Port of Brisbane".
Logan City Council has previously been outspoken in its objections to Inland Rail's proposed route through its southern suburbs to the Acacia Ridge intermodal, with mayor Darren Power protesting the likely daily impacts on residents.