Transport driven agenda
THE South East Australian Transport Strategy Inc (SEATS) held its quarterly meeting at Port Welshpool last Thursday and Friday.
Around 50 delegates from New South Wales and Victoria attended the meeting chaired by South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Jeanette Harding.
The SEATS region links the NSW city of Wollongong to the north with the Victorian City of Greater Dandenong to the south, Cooma, Bombala, Tumut and Tumbarumba to the east and the ACT, Yass, Goulburn and Crookwell to the west.
SEATS executive officer John Duscher of Wonthaggi said the group was an important advocacy group comprising representatives of 20 municipalities, state agencies such as VicRoads and people involved in major industry.
“SEATS’ role is to advocate for improvements in infrastructure for road, rail, sea and air transport,” he said.
“These improvements are designed to help economic development and social wellbeing across south eastern Australia.”
Mr Duscher said SEATS’ main role was to develop strategies for improvements and project priority lists that are submitted to State and Federal governments for consideration.
SEATS currently has a large list of priority projects, including the very fast train project.
“These projects remain on our list for further development and research,” Mr Duscher said.
John Ernst from South Gippsland Shire Council presented on the work the council has done regarding heavy vehicle safety as a direct response to a number of truck rollovers.
Associate professor Rob Faggion presented a report about the transformation of the agricultural industry in Gippsland and its transport needs.
Brad Close from the Victorian Transport Association talked about transport issues in Gippsland and across south eastern Australia.
He is looking closely at national reform in heavy vehicle transport and the development of freight pathways throughout the region.
A VicRoads representative provided a detailed report on what is happening in the South Gippsland region, which included the South Gippsland Highway realignment at Koonwarra.
“In 2014, the Federal and State governments provided $211,000 for a planning study for the South Gippsland Highway through the Black Spur,” Mr Duscher said.
“It is an important part of the highway and caters for dairy, timber, livestock, gas and oil industries as well as being a major tourist route.”
The study will enable VicRoads to present a full business case to the State Government.
The next SEATS meeting will be held in Canberra in May
On the move: SEATS executive officer John Duscher of Wonthaggi, deputy chair Sue Whelan, chairperson and South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Jeanette Harding and past executive officer Chris Vardon at Port Welshpool for the SEATS quarterly meeting last Friday.
Short URL: /?p=13870
Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Feb 24 2015. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
