Budget targets port access improvements: Anderson

<p>Federal transport minister John Anderson said 2005&#4706 Budget has a strong emphasis on improving road and rail access to Australia’s ports.</p> <p>The Government reaffirmed in the budget yesterday (Tuesday, May 10) the transport spending commitments it made in last year’s AusLink announcement and said it will spend $2.2bn in the 2005&#4706 on road and rail projects.</p> <p>Mr Anderson said the Government would spend $110m over four years – $5m in 2005&#4706 – to upgrade the links between the Dynon intermodal freight precinct and the port of Melbourne.</p> <p>"We will also invest $8m in 2005&#4706 to help improve the rail links between the Kewdale intermodal precinct and the port of Fremantle," he said. </p> <p>The Government has also brought forward $55m to enable Adelaide’s Port River Expressway to be completed over the next two years. </p> <p>Mr Anderson reaffirmed that the Government and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) would invest $1.8 bn in the interstate and Hunter Valley rail systems from 2004&#4705 to 2008&#4709.</p> <p>This will include the previously announced funding for ARTC’s new advanced train management system. </p> <p>"The Government will invest up to $110m &#8211 $5m in 2005&#4706 &#8211 to improve rail infrastructure bottlenecks on the Port Botany line and between Strathfield and Hornsby in Sydney," Mr Anderson said.</p> <p>"The work will improve transit times for freight trains and will have benefits for passenger services, too, because the separation of freight and passenger trains will enable CityRail to run more off-peak passenger services."</p> <p>AusLink’s road spending for the year will include: </p> <p>&#8226 $815m on the Hume Highway </p> <p>&#8226 $765m on the Pacific Highway</p> <p>&#8226 $546m on the Bruce Highway</p> <p>&#8226 $186m on the Geelong Bypass</p> <p>&#8226 $94m on the Port River Expressway in South Australia and</p> <p>&#8226 $170m on the Mandurah Bypass and Kwinana Freeway extension in Western Australia.</p> <p>There is also an additional $150m over five years for the Roads to Recovery program and $90m for the road safety black spot program.</p> <br />