FRUSTRATING ‘last mile’ transport issues have plagued some of SA’s busiest saleyards for years, but a solution is finally in the pipeline.
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Almost $20 million in funding to address last mile issues was allocated in the recent mid-year budget review, with four sites identified for upgrades based on feedback from the 90-day transport project, led by Primary Producers SA.
The $19.2m state government package aims to deliver B-double access to the Naracoorte saleyards and Eudunda grain silos, B-double and road train access to the Jamestown saleyards and access for road trains from Port Wakefield Road to the grain silos at Roseworthy.
“The project found last mile access issues were restricting the farm productivity by preventing larger heavy vehicles from travelling on local roads at the beginning and end of journeys,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said.
“Last mile issues usually involve local council access roads, but are relatively expensive given they need to be constructed for heavy vehicles. This can often put them beyond the reach of councils to fund.”
PPSA chairman Rob Kerin said the funding was another example of the 90-day transport project achieving tangible results.
“This is going to make a lot of difference,” he said. “Every time we tick one of these issues off we’re creating more savings.
“The 700 people who filled out a survey form were probably wondering at the time whether they were wasting their time.
“The fact that we are seeing changes made gives everyone encouragement to do even more. We need to keep the momentum going.”
He said getting B-double access to silos and saleyards would have significant benefits.
“Getting B-double access to some of these places is going to make a huge difference,” he said.
“There’s more silos where we’d like to get access for larger combinations, and this $19.2m will help us with plenty of those.
“In some of these cases, it actually cuts the number of trucks you need to cart from silo to port in half. That’s going to mean some pretty significant changes in freight.”
Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of SA president David Smith, Tumby Bay, was also full of praise for the project and the government’s response.
“The 90-day project has been fantastic,” he said. “What it’s done has brought forward and tackled some fairly old issues that had remained stagnant in the system for so long.
“Take Jamestown saleyards, for example. It has been that long that we’d all forgotten it was not B-double or road train accessible.
“A bit of credit to the Mr Mullighan, because he’s been prepared to source funding to make some money available for regional Australia that wouldn’t normally go to regional Australia. These productivity gains are ultimately a benefit to the state, and I think that’s what the he can see.”
Mr Smith said he had already received positive feedback from members near Eudunda and Naracoorte, with the funding topping off a good year for transporters who had already benefited from improved access regulations north of Port Augusta and a change in work diary requirements for agricultural work.
“Rural and regional Australia has had a pretty successful year,” he said. “In terms of productivity gains, we’re talking millions of dollars.
“It’s not done yet, there’s plenty more we can achieve.”
