New Victorian intermodal hub to cut transport costs

<p>The construction of an intermodal freight hub at Dooen, northwest of Melbourne, is expected to slash transport costs and increase warehousing and distribution opportunities in regional Victoria.</p> <p>The proposed greenfield development at Dooen, 11 km northeast of Horsham on the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line, will replace an ageing terminal at Horsham station.</p> <p>Victorian regional development minister John Brumby predicts the hub will trigger further development of the grains industry by grain-related businesses.</p> <p>&#8220The new 23.5 ha freight hub will provide a central location for grain storage facilities and grain export processors, improve access to freight depots, grain silos and processing plants, and build on the region’s nationally significant and export focussed grains industry,&#8221 he said.</p> <p>The new facility would be able to handle 18,600 containers within five to six years &#8211 more than twice the number of containers handled at the existing Horsham facility.</p> <p>&#8220Based on current volumes, the new freight hub is expected to generate savings for existing customers of up to $52.80 per container,&#8221 Mr Brumby said.</p> <p>&#8220The new hub will also result in reduced handling costs for the terminal operator and for grain producers, relieve demand for storage at the port of Melbourne, with more empty containers returned from Melbourne to be stored on the new site and cutting 11 km from the rail trip to Melbourne.&#8221</p> <p>The new freight hub at the site will comprise two 450-metre sidings – four metres apart – on the same side of 450 x 20-metres of reinforced road, with the project also including upgrades to roads around the terminal.</p> <p>The Victorian government has contributed $2.2m to the Wimmera Regional Freight Hub development. Councils in the areas have asked the Federal Government to contribute $6.5m to the project.</p> <br />