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Globelink tender issued for Monarto airport, freight bypass
A planned airport and freight bypass at Monarto has drawn one step closer.
The state government has put out a tender for the planning work that will underpin the so-called Globelink proposal, which envisions a new corridor for freight movement into and out of Adelaide.
Globelink tender issued for Monarto airport, freight bypass
A planned airport and freight bypass at Monarto has drawn one step closer.
The state government has put out a tender for the planning work that will underpin the so-called Globelink proposal, which envisions a new corridor for freight movement into and out of Adelaide.
Is this pie in the sky thinking or could this potentially become a reality. Personally I'd like to see this project get the go ahead.
I'm a bit unsure of the benefits of this proposal. A lot of freight comes in to Adelaide from Melbourne or NSW, BY ROAD, but is destined for Adelaide markets. This freight in theory could be warehoused in Monarto, but will still require transport via smaller trucks to various distribution and sales points in the metro area, therefore, some large semis off metro roads, but in place more smaller trucks up and down the freeway to all points of the metro area. Ok in theory. Items manufactured in Adelaide are exported via Road/ Port Adelaide/ Airfreight. Putting a freight airport at Monarto, will result in many more large trucks lugging freight in the form of manufactured goods up the Mount Barker and SE freeway after traversing various industrial areas around metro Adelaide. The only benefit I can see is the lack of curfew on a Monarto airport, and to reduce the need for more/expanded runway/warehousing facilities at the current airport. As most SA manufacturing occurs in the metro area and most of that focused south, north and west in the metro area, is it worthwhile having the logistics and freight so far on the other side of a steep scarp? Just a thought.
Rather than build a whole new airport, why don't they just use RAAF Base Edinburgh? The RAAF shares their base with airlines at other bases, such as Darwin and Newcastle. The RAAF has started operating P-8 Poseidons from Edinburgh, which is essentially an airliner.
It could be a 24/7 freight airport if they take off from runway 36 at night.
Globelink tender issued for Monarto airport, freight bypass
A planned airport and freight bypass at Monarto has drawn one step closer.
The state government has put out a tender for the planning work that will underpin the so-called Globelink proposal, which envisions a new corridor for freight movement into and out of Adelaide.
Is this pie in the sky thinking or could this potentially become a reality. Personally I'd like to see this project get the go ahead.
I'm a bit unsure of the benefits of this proposal. A lot of freight comes in to Adelaide from Melbourne or NSW, BY ROAD, but is destined for Adelaide markets. This freight in theory could be warehoused in Monarto, but will still require transport via smaller trucks to various distribution and sales points in the metro area, therefore, some large semis off metro roads, but in place more smaller trucks up and down the freeway to all points of the metro area. Ok in theory. Items manufactured in Adelaide are exported via Road/ Port Adelaide/ Airfreight. Putting a freight airport at Monarto, will result in many more large trucks lugging freight in the form of manufactured goods up the Mount Barker and SE freeway after traversing various industrial areas around metro Adelaide. The only benefit I can see is the lack of curfew on a Monarto airport, and to reduce the need for more/expanded runway/warehousing facilities at the current airport. As most SA manufacturing occurs in the metro area and most of that focused south, north and west in the metro area, is it worthwhile having the logistics and freight so far on the other side of a steep scarp? Just a thought.
The proposed ring road & rail link from Murray Bridge East to Truro which forms the other parts of this project would remove more trucks away from the SE Freeway and provide an alternative route to bring the freight destined to the North of Adelaide and the port etc via the Northern expressway/ northern connector. It may take just as long, however be substantially safer and remove many trucks from having to use Portrush Road.
The road and rail freight component of this proposal is about the only thing I support, the 24/7 airport is not only a waste of money it'll strip Adelaide Airport of a lot of its commercial revenue which allows them to head their own developments such as the latest upgrade.
I'm a bit unsure of the benefits of this proposal. A lot of freight comes in to Adelaide from Melbourne or NSW, BY ROAD, but is destined for Adelaide markets. This freight in theory could be warehoused in Monarto, but will still require transport via smaller trucks to various distribution and sales points in the metro area, therefore, some large semis off metro roads, but in place more smaller trucks up and down the freeway to all points of the metro area. Ok in theory. Items manufactured in Adelaide are exported via Road/ Port Adelaide/ Airfreight. Putting a freight airport at Monarto, will result in many more large trucks lugging freight in the form of manufactured goods up the Mount Barker and SE freeway after traversing various industrial areas around metro Adelaide. The only benefit I can see is the lack of curfew on a Monarto airport, and to reduce the need for more/expanded runway/warehousing facilities at the current airport. As most SA manufacturing occurs in the metro area and most of that focused south, north and west in the metro area, is it worthwhile having the logistics and freight so far on the other side of a steep scarp? Just a thought.
The attached article says "Road and railway lines would be built side by side from a point east of Murray Bridge running north to Truro..." - I don't know if that was deliberate, or a typo for "...west of..."
The tender is to evaluate problems and opportunities, then to evaluate possible solutions. It is possible the outcome will be "it won't help, and is a waste of money". I expect that a Truro bypass for the Sturt Highway is necessary in the short-medium term anyway. Upgrading/replacing the present B-double route between the Princes and Sturt Highways (Halfway House Road through Sedan) is perhaps justified as well - grape and wine trucks from the Limestone Coast to wineries and packaging plants in the Barossa Valley (then the Treasury warehouse at Penfield) for example.
The rail link can probably have the maths done fairly accurately, once the inputs are known. The bypass would enable higher and heavier trains without needing to add extra locomotives to get over the hill, and possibly higher speeds too.
Thomas Foods at Murray Bridge might be an exporter on that side of the range, and who knows whether new industries might start if they have different transport links than are presently available. It could also help the Riverland.
Rather than build a whole new airport, why don't they just use RAAF Base Edinburgh? The RAAF shares their base with airlines at other bases, such as Darwin and Newcastle. The RAAF has started operating P-8 Poseidons from Edinburgh, which is essentially an airliner.
It could be a 24/7 freight airport if they take off from runway 36 at night.
Most probably because eventually the area around there will be built up in future. Besides de-centralising is good for the state. We need to get towns like Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend to grow.
Cheers
Confucius say: Dumb man climb tree to get cherry, wise man spread limbs.
The road and rail freight component of this proposal is about the only thing I support, the 24/7 airport is not only a waste of money it'll strip Adelaide Airport of a lot of its commercial revenue which allows them to head their own developments such as the latest upgrade.
Adelaide Airport has one major drawback. It's not 24 hours. Besides, again as said in my above post, decentralising is a good way to expand our state. Hopefully developments like this will attract immigrants to Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend. Tie this in with trade agreements we should do well in food, agricultural products, biomedical and other exports to SE Asia.
Cheers
Confucius say: Dumb man climb tree to get cherry, wise man spread limbs.
The Wellcamp International Airport outside Toowoomba in Queensland has proven that a 24-hour freight airport in a rural district has great benefits. As Ho Really states, Murray Bridge (as well as Tailem Bend and Mannum, and even Lameroo and Meningie) districts would all benefit from having an export airport at Monarto. It would enable manufacturing industries to move out to those rural areas where land and housing is cheaper without the expense of transport to and warehousing in Adelaide. Add to this chilled meat and other food and beverage products destined for overseas, and it looks better and better. Something like this is needed to get our regional areas growing, as farming alone is having the opposite effect as farms get larger and more mechanised.
Will the Adelaide Freight Terminal (currently at Regency Park) be moved to Monarto, or to somewhere north of Adelaide (Mallala? Two Wells?) where the bypass meets the northern railway? These are things that the study will tell us I guess.
It has some great benefits, along with some significant cons, as have been highlighted.
I'm not sure what it'll solve besides the odd movement here and there. For example, warehouses in Adelaide that ship freight to WA, NT, NSW and to Victoria, will not use such a bypass - so this will not remove enough trucks from roads to make it worthwhile. From experience, I recently started working in a warehouse in the inner eastern suburbs. Not one of our freight bookings would use the bypass.
Why are they bringing it so far south? wouldn't this route make more sense?
Upgrade local roads and build railway line from Crystal Brook to Mildura
In any case, I doubt the railway line would get built.. They'll probably settle for building the railway portion of the Northern Connector and upgrade a few bits of the existing line
Regardless of the Global Link outcome, Cross Road still needs to be grade separated to motorway standards connecting the Toll Gate intersection of SE Freeway to the new North South Motorway earmarked from Anzac Hwy to Darlington, connecting at the existing South Rd/Cross Rd intersection area of Glandore/Black Forest/Edwardstown.
The Unley Park aristocracy who are effectively part owners of the State Liberal Party, better not prevent this from happening, the link should be considered as part of the North South corridor as whole, for the purposes of planning and funding.
I also doubt a freight only airport out the back of beyond will pass the pub test, as just one of many examples freight forwarders use cargo space in SQ & CX flights from Adelaide for fresh food containers, but not in the volumes to justify dedicated freight flights. Plus as others have pointed out Adelaide Airport expansion stages have been planned on future business activity, a freight airport elsewhere is likely to dilute that effort.
Regardless of the Global Link outcome, Cross Road still needs to be grade separated to motorway standards connecting the Toll Gate intersection of SE Freeway to the new North South Motorway earmarked from Anzac Hwy to Darlington, connecting at the existing South Rd/Cross Rd intersection area of Glandore/Black Forest/Edwardstown.
The Unley Park aristocracy who are effectively part owners of the State Liberal Party, better not prevent this from happening, the link should be considered as part of the North South corridor as whole, for the purposes of planning and funding.
I also doubt a freight only airport out the back of beyond will pass the pub test, as just one of many examples freight forwarders use cargo space in SQ & CX flights from Adelaide for fresh food containers, but not in the volumes to justify dedicated freight flights. Plus as others have pointed out Adelaide Airport expansion stages have been planned on future business activity, a freight airport elsewhere is likely to dilute that effort.
Why? Considering the plan for this is to get freight away from suburban Adelaide and the north-south corridor is being funding primarily for freight movement, you're going to need a better argument than "we should do it because we should do it". You're talking a lot of $$$ in property acquisition just for a pipe-dream.
