Kerang rail disaster: truck driver cleared
By Rob McKay – www.lloydslistdcn.com.au
The truck driver involved in the Kerang level crossing disaster in Victoria two years ago has been cleared of criminal charges arising from the accident.
The collision killed 11 people on a V/Line train travelling from Swan Hill to Melbourne.
In a Melbourne court last week, the driver of the truck, Christian Scholl, 50, was found not guilty on 11 counts of culpable driving, eight charges of driving negligently and other charges of dangerous driving causing death.
His defence argued that the crossing was dangerous.
The Transport Accident Commission is expected to meet any civil claims which may yet arise.
Source: Lloyd’s List Daily Commercial News – www.lloydslistdcn.com.au
Alliance announced for Victoria’s Springvale road rail project
Work on Victoria’s $140 million Springvale road rail separation at Nunawading is on track with the VicRoads alliance partners announced on June 10th and preconstruction work underway.
Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas said the project to remove the busy Springvale Road level crossing and construction of the new grade separation was complex and required a strong alliance partnership to successfully complete the works.
“I’m pleased to announce that John Holland and designers Arup and KBR Pty Ltd will join VicRoads to design, deliver and manage works for this key project, funded with $80 million from the Federal budget and $60 million from the State budget,” Pallas said.
The alliance, which also includes the Department of Transport and Connex, would deliver the project by 2010.
Federal Member for Deakin Mike Symon said the project will reduce traffic congestion through the intersection and boost road safety by removing the boom gates that are the source of the traffic problem.
“In the past five years alone there have been 50 crashes causing injury and death,” he said.
The project includes a new railway station for Nunawading, with station access to be boosted by a new pedestrian underpass that will allow commuters and locals to avoid crossing Springvale Road.
First level crossing upgrades nearing completion in Queensland
The first eight of 66 level crossing upgrades funded in Queensland under the Federal Government’s economic stimulus package will be completed by the end of June.
In just three months, boom gates and flashing lights have been installed at eight high-risk level crossings across Queensland.
Last year alone there were 18 collisions, five fatalities and four serious injuries at level crossings in the State.
The following projects that are being upgraded with flashing lights and boom gates that are nearing completion are:
.Maher Road – Gordonvale
.Bluewater Drive – Townsville
.Toolakea Beach Road – Townsville
.Ellis Road – Bellenden Ker
.Schillings Road – Calliope
.Edgewood Drive – Emerald
.Toomulla Beach Road – Toomulla
.Hencamp Road – Kinduro
Hunter coal chain receives innovation accolade
By Sineva Toevai –www.lloydslistdcn.com.au
The Hunter coal industry has won the inaugural New South Wales Government award for supply chain innovation.
The Hunter Valley Coal Chain Logisitics Team (HVCCLT) was presented with the award for excellence in supply chain innovation in NSW at the Smart Conference Awards, held in Sydney on June10th-11th.
State Development Minister Ian Macdonald said that team’s efforts to improve the efficiency of the Hunter Valley coal chain made it a "very worthy" recipient of the award.
The Hunter Valley coal chain handles about $15 billion of export revenue annually, making it among the largest and most complex coal operations in the world, Macdonald said.
"The HVCCLT has proven that, by working together with the aid of smart planning and technology and treating the Hunter coal chain as a single system, significant improvements can be achieved," he said.
"Streamlining this massive operation has involved intensive end-to-end coal chain planning, scheduling and coordination encompassing about 1,000 kilometres of rail track, more than 15,000 annual train deliveries, 35 coal mines, the berthing and loading of more than 1100 export vessels (in 2008) and the handling of 80 different coal blends."
HVCCLT helped the Hunter region export 92 million tonnes of coal in 2008, an eight per cent jump from 2007, he said.
Macdonald also praised HVCCLT’s $6 million integrated planning system and its continued efforts to further improve efficiencies.
Source: Lloyd’s List Daily Commercial News – www.lloydslistdcn.com.au
 
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