Factsheet: Traffic, transport and access Existing conditions • The road network near the project site comprises local roads — notably Moorebank Avenue, Anzac Road, Bapaume Road and Cambridge Avenue - as well as strategic roads, including the Hume Highway (a National road) and the M5 Motorway. • At present, a number of these roads are known to experience congestion, particularly the M5 Motorway over the Georges River between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway, and various intersections along Moorebank Avenue. • Transport modelling has shown that without the project, the performance of the intersections between Moorebank Avenue and Anzac Road and Bapaume Road would progressively deteriorate over time due to growth in background traffic. In particular, the Moorebank Avenue and Bapaume Road intersection is forecast to continue to operate at a Level of Service of F, which is a classification defined as unsatisfactory and involves extensive traffic delays. • The Southern Sydney Freight Line (SSFL) – the main southbound rail freight line in Sydney and the proposed rail line for trains between Port Botany and the terminal – runs parallel to the western border of the project site, within the Main South Rail Line corridor. The East Hills (passenger) Rail Line runs west to east, to the south of the project site, but would not be affected by the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal. Potential impacts of the terminal During construction: • The project has the potential to increase traffic and congestion on key local roads and to consequently increase journey times during construction of the terminal. However, under the preliminary concept design, impacts would be minimised by design and mitigation measures that include early construction of an upgrade to Moorebank Avenue. • Construction traffic access would largely be via Moorebank Avenue (north of the East Hills Railway Line) and the M5 Motorway; however, some access, including access by construction staff cars, is also likely to be required through local streets in Casula for the purpose of constructing the rail link to the SSFL including access via Shepherd Street to the north of the site. • Some short-term partial and full road closures may be required during construction (most likely at night). During operation: • The terminal would reduce the growth in road-based freight trips in Sydney, leading to significant benefits for the regional road network, including a reduction of approximately 67,000 truck vehicle kilometres travelled per day in the Sydney region by 2031. • If the terminal is developed according to the preliminary concept design, once it is operating at capacity, which is assumed to be from around 2025 - 2030, it will generate around 5,100 heavy vehicle movements per day. This will involve 2,550 vehicles inbound and 2,550 outbound from the site, with another 5,200 light vehicle movements associated with warehousing and staff access, such as light trucks and passenger vehicles, which is made up of 2,600 inbound and 2,600 outbound from the site. Moorebank Terminal - Technical assessments Potential impacts of the terminal during operation continued... • Under the preliminary concept design, most of these vehicles, including all trucks associated with container movements, are expected to travel along Moorebank Avenue, the M5 Motorway and local road intersections in the vicinity of site; however, impacts would be minimised by the proposed upgrade to Moorebank Avenue. • Overall, the upgraded intersections on Moorebank Avenue would operate slightly better than the existing road network, with a good Level of Service and acceptable delay times. The Hume Highway/ M5 Motorway intersection was the only intersection in the vicinity of the terminal predicted to experience a reduction in Level of Service due to the project (from E to F by 2030). • As the M5 Motorway is located between Port Botany and the terminal, it has greater potential to be affected by the project than most of the other road corridors. Development of the project is likely to have a small impact on vehicle speeds on the M7 Motorway and other roads surrounding the project site. However, on the whole, the Sydney road network would experience road speed benefits, equating to reduced growth in traffic congestion, particularly on the M5 Motorway (east of Moorebank Avenue), the M2 Motorway and in the inner western suburbs. Overall, impacts on surrounding road infrastructure are predicted to be negligible. • The terminal will be designed so that there would be no need for heavy vehicle parking on Moorebank Avenue. • Additional rail trips would be generated by the import-export freight terminal and ultimately there would be up to 42 train movements per day. These additional movements would be within the approved capacity of the SSFL and would not impact on passenger rail services. • Trains for the interstate freight terminal, which will ultimately involve up to 42 train movements per week, would also travel on the SSFL and the wider metropolitan freight network and beyond. Proposed mitigation measures The NSW government has committed to working with the Australian government and the project proponent to minimise impacts of the project on the surrounding road network, including upgrading of the surrounding road network in some cases. Additionally, a large suite of construction and operational mitigation measures is also proposed to minimise traffic, transport and access impacts of the project. Key measures in the preliminary concept deign include: • Widening of Moorebank Avenue to a dual carriageway (four lanes), redevelopment of the Moorebank Avenue/Anzac Road intersection, and development of new intersections for the access points along Moorebank Avenue – these intersection improvements would occur early, prior to the commencement of operations • Provision of car parking on site for both construction and operation to avoid the need for workers to park on local streets • ‘Trouble truck’ parking on site for trucks that arrive outside of their allotted time so they don’t have to park on Moorebank Avenue • Scheduling of truck arrivals to avoid congestion • Preparation of detailed traffic management plans as part of the construction environmental management plans and an operational environmental management plan for the terminal • Ongoing community consultation. Moorebank Intermodal Terminal - Technical assessments.