Residents opposed to the Moorebank intermodal container terminal plan have gone on the front foot ahead of the final decision, which is believed to be imminent.
“The principal reason for the Moorebank intermodal was to take trucks off the roads, but the Eastern Creek area is the main destination for cargo. So if the intermodal comes to Moorebank it will just add one more link to the destination chain, which will escalate the transportation costs and increase not reduce truck movements,’’ said John Anderson, the chairman of Residents against Intermodal Development (RAID).
“For this and other reasons, we believe the Moorebank container terminal proposal is untenable.’’
Mr Anderson, who also sits on the Liverpool Council No Intermodal Committee, said the RAID executive met last Friday, following speculation the intermodal approval was imminent.
Some reports suggested it may even be approved as early as this week.
Mr Anderson said that while RAID did not believe such reports, it had decided to go on the front foot to highlight what it believes are substantial shortcomings in the plans for an intermodal terminal at Moorebank.
“We have always believed that the location of the Moorebank Intermodal sites, on top of Wattle Grove and below Casula could leave the proponents open to potential litigation from the impact of the diesel emissions, particularly from the particulate pollution,’’ Mr Anderson said.
“There are 39,000 residents in a two kilometre radius from the intermodal location; there are 10 schools and 19 childcare centres as well as two major aged care centres.
“Local residents are already subject to traffic gridlock 24/7 but neither the state nor the federal governments have budgeted significant funds for infrastructure to cope with the extra 10,000 trucks and 5,723 cars.
“There are also question marks about the anticipated rail capacity which may fall far short of the needs of an intermodal here in Moorebank.
“As far as can be ascertained, the responsible authorities have not factored any significant resourcing to appropriately deal with these issues.
“The future planning for the Moorebank Intermodal is practically non-existent which means the trucks, vans and car movements resulting from the intermodal will just add to the congestion on our local roads.
“These factors make the project untenable for the Moorebank location,’’ Mr Anderson said.
