4. Innovative urban freight logistics
Melbourne will have innovative and efficient freight and logistics infrastructure, optimising the flow of goods locally and globally. Melbourne's freight system will strengthen the municipality's economy. It will be environmentally sustainable, and freight traffic will be designed and managed to enhance the municipality's liveability. All levels of government need to be involved in forward planning to ensure Melbourne's freight system offers the best results for the municipality. We need an internationally competitive freight system that is environmentally sustainable and doesn't degrade the liveability and workability of the municipality. A quality freight system will promote dynamic, community focused and sustainable growth. 1 Maintain Melbourne as Australia's main freight port The Port of Melbourne's planning framework for expansion is The Port Development Plan. This draft plan calls for port investment of more than $2 billion during the next 30 years, including works to increase the percentage of freight movements by rail. Melbourne Port@L is the Victorian Government's strategic plan to develop the Port of Melbourne and the Dynon freight precinct into a world-class intermodal freight hub. This strategy is designed to ensure our freight infrastructure keeps up with expected increases in trade during the next 30 years. The Melbourne Port@L strategy will improve the efficiency of the Port of Melbourne, better integrating the port and adjacent freight transport facilities. Freight in Metropolitan Melbourne The transportation of goods through the municipality bound for other metropolitan destinations has become a significant issue. Volumes have increased with the growth of commercial and industrial sectors and the expansion of the Port of Melbourne's capacity. In Metropolitan Melbourne, freight is expected to increase 3.52 per cent per year to 2020, with most of this growth expected to be road-based.2. The future prosperity of metropolitan Melbourne depends upon the ease of freight movement into, out of and around our municipality. A congested freight system makes business less efficient, increases vehicle emissions, generates inconvenience and means a loss of amenity for city users. A multi-faceted approach targeting issues relating to all modes of transport is needed to respond to this issue.A freight system that relies on fuel and oil will lose profits and efficiency through actions such as those happening seen in Spain and France - and locally. Therefore, the rail connections between Victoria's intermodal hubs (or inland ports) and the Port of Melbourne are especially important. Intermodal hubs could ease road congestion and enhance port viability. Melbourne's sophisticated logistics systems and 'just-in-time' manufacturing that are an integral element of an efficient freight system rely on a state of the art information technology and communications infrastructure. A real-time responsive road use management system is a valuable tool for optimising efficient road freight logistics. Last mile freight systems servicing the municipality Changes within Melbourne's central city presents new freight challenges. Central city resident growth is driving demand for more local shops with processed and fresh food and household goods. Central city streets are coming alive with growing numbers of people walking and cycling, demanding attractive, comfortable and safe streets. Melbourne's network of narrow lanes is thriving, while construction sites are peppered across the central city. Freight solutions developed for more suburban locations don't work in the central city. New freight solutions designed to service the needs of central city residents, business and construction need to be developed. While there are many experiments in last mile solutions (how an item is delivered to a customer - the last mile in the freight chain), Europe's Urban Consolidation Centre is an attractive option for Melbourne. In this system, freight destined for the central city is delivered to the centre and then redistributed for last mile delivery using various low-impact and clean vehicle systems. The central city includes low emission zones accessible only to 'clean' vehicles. The inner city waste freight Waste management in the central city is also becoming more complex. Businesses, residents and visitors all have higher amenity expectations for less obtrusive and more efficient waste collection and freight. Opportunities exist for a more coordinated waste freight system and better recycling, including some local recycling. The need to develop better systems will intensify as the central city grows.
| Goals | Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Increase rail freight and reduce road freight. More efficient rail transport infrastructure that balances the competitive advantage of roads and meets the continued growth of the Port of Melbourne. |
The proportion of freight moved in and out of the Port of Melbourne. Target: Indicator to be developed Current: Around 20 per cent of all freight moved in and out of the Port of Melbourne is carried by rail. 3 |
A rail freight network which is competitive with the road freight system. A modal shift with an increasing proportion of port freight using rail transport. |
| Reduce amenity degrading freight. Restrict freight access to local roads, and develop innovative road-based solutions to meet the urban freight task. |
Resident feedback about local area amenity (specifically noise and air pollution). Target: Indicator to be developed.4 Current: Indicator to be developed. |
The needs of freight traffic and the needs of residents are balanced by means of innovative urban planning and freight management. Land-use conflicts around the port and its rail and road freight routes are managed to ensure a productive port. |
| Low impact and efficient central city last-mile freight Deliveries to minimise amenity degrading and inefficient freight traffic in the central city. |
Proportion of last mile central city freight delivered by low impact vehicles Target: Indicator to be developed Current: Indicator to be developed5 |
Freight deliveries will take place efficiently while minimising their externalities in a dense and active urban environment. |
| Low impact and more efficient waste freight To minimise amenity degrading and inefficient waste freight in the municipality and facilitate local recycling opportunities. |
Total vehicle kms to achieve the waste removal freight task Target: Indicator to be developed Current: Indicator to be developed 6
|
Reduced waste freight traffic and reduced noise and air pollution from waste freight. Increased local recycling of waste. |
See also
- BESTUFS II Best Urban Freight Solutions BESTUFS II is an open European knowledge network that identifies, describes and disseminate best practices, success criteria and bottlenecks with respect to City Logistics Solutions (CLS).
- City of Melbourne Submission to East-West Transport Link Needs Assessment (2007)
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