Committee for Melbourne backs Docklands’ “killer” freight bridge

The Committee of Melbourne has defended its decision to back a controversial freight rail bridge that threatens to choke access to Victoria Harbour in Docklands, saying it would minimise local road congestion and carbon emissions.

The proposed freight rail link would connect the Port of Melbourne’s Swanson Dock facilities west of Docklands, to Webb Dock by the mouth of the Yarra, via a low river crossing adjacent to the Bolte Bridge.

In its submission to the state government’s Freight Plan, the Committee for Melbourne called for investment in the rail line to help maintain the competitive advantage of Melbourne as Australia’s freight and logistics capital.

The rail line has been a sticking point in the Port of Melbourne’s ambitious 2050 Port Development Strategy due to ongoing local opposition.

Committee of Melbourne CEO Mark Melvin defended support for the project, saying “The future needs of the Port overlap the needs of not just local residents, but of wider Victoria, wherein supply chain resilience ensures that shelves continue to be well-stocked, goods are received on time, and businesses can continue to operate.”

Mr Melvin said the impact of the rail link on the Docklands community should be “managed” but that more internal rail traffic within the Port of Melbourne in the long term “should alleviate land-side congestion in the near-port and broader road network around Webb Dock, keeping public roads clear while ensuring efficient freight movement”.

The Bailleau Government first mooted the Webb Dock freight line in 2013, but the Napthine Government later walked back on the plans, instead earmarking growth opportunities for the Port of Hastings.

As reported by Docklands News, Minister for Planning Richard Wynne, who served as part of former Premier Dan Andrews’ government, originally ruled out any plans for a river crossing between the two Port of Melbourne docks.

However, the proposal would reappear in the state government’s revised 2018 blueprint for Fishermans Bend, and the Port of Melbourne officially declared its intentions for the proposal in 2020 with the release of its 30-year Port Development Strategy.

Docklands News has reported several stories over the years on the extensive local opposition to the freight bridge, with many considering it a “killer” for Victoria Harbour and the precinct’s future.

Supporters of the historic tall ship, Alma Doepel, are among those opposed to the plans, arguing the freight bridge would further restrict access to larger vessels and prevent City of Melbourne plans for Victoria Harbour to host a heritage fleet.

The state government has remained tight-lipped on the status of the project.

An update on the state’s rail freight network site in July said, “The Victorian Government is working with the Port of Melbourne and the Fishermans Bend Taskforce to identify and protect an alignment for the link.”

Mr Melvin said the Port of Melbourne was “undertaking wide-ranging stakeholder engagement with industry, government, community, and other interested parties” over the development of its Port Development Strategy.

He said the Committee would work with the Port to explore alternatives should local opposition see the state government choose to again cancel the freight line. •