CSIRO pilot study shows inland rail could save $76 per tonne in transport costs

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The results from a pilot study looking at the potential transport cost savings available from Inland Rail were announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, on 21 March 2019.

The results demonstrate an average transport cost saving of $76 per tonne, when shifting specific agricultural supply chains from road to Inland Rail.

Key findings:

  • Inland Rail could reduce supply chain costs by saving an average of $76 per tonne for horticulture and post-processed food supply chains (compared with transport by road); and $31 per tonne for horticulture products currently transported by rail on the coastal line

  • Inland Rail could lead to a reduction in heavy vehicle congestion, with the pilot study finding a reduction of up to 63,000 heavy vehicle trips per year along segments of the Newell Highway

The Pilot Study marks the beginning of two phases of work (to be done sequentially, for two periods of 12 months) that will be applied to the broader Inland Rail corridor, commencing with the southern corridor, from Narromine to Seymour, and then on to the northern corridor, from Narromine to Toowoomba, to obtain even more detailed potential cost savings across a broader range of agriculture and other supply chains.

To read the executive summary or the full report see here.

Rachel Whiting