The level crossings at Torrens Road and Hawker Street provide a continuing source of frustration to motorists when freight trains are forced to slow down or stop across these intersections to allow the passenger trains priority passage over the Torrens Junction track crossover in the Adelaide City Park lands.
This delay would be greatly reduced if a “grade separation” was constructed at the Torrens Junction – by way of a bridge or culvert – to remove the intersection of the freight and passenger rail tracks.
A proposal by the State Government to the Federal Infrastructure Australia to construct this grade separation at Torrens and Goodwood Rail Junctions was prioritized number one project by the Federal Government in 2009.
The other prioritized projects were:
F3–Branxton Freeway (NSW)
Majura Parkway (Stage 2) (ACT)
Pacific Highway Corridor (NSW)
Ipswich Motorway Upgrade
While the Torrens Junction proposal did not get Federal funding, all the others were successful. Why? Motorists stuck at Torrens Road and Hawker Street by freight trains will no doubt be asking this question.
The most likely reason for the failure was the decision of the State Government to amend its application to include provision for the undergrounding of the Park Terrace passenger line and Bowden Station as part of the Bowden Urban Village Transport Orientated Development.
However because the BUV TOD proposal was still at a early stage of planning, it could not meet the requirement of the Federal Government that funding would be committed to those projects which were “ready to go” – this being a crucial part of the (successful) strategy to protect the economy from the effects of the global financial crisis.
Now the State Government appears to be hoping that grade separation will be funded in part by the rail industry itself –
“The development of more efficient national land-based freight transport links to overseas markets is critical for South Australia’s economy. The rail industry will be encouraged to upgrade the freight rail network through Adelaide to reduce conflict with passenger transport, as well as upgrading the Adelaide-Melbourne link. This will be supported through the expansion and development of intermodal facilities.” [Strategic Infrastructure Plan SA –Discussion paper 2010]
This in turn suggests that the undergrounding of Bowden Station – now the centre-piece of the BUV master plan – will have to be funded by the State Government. If only the scheme had a “Black Box” attached in 2009.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
GOV. EXPANDS REZONING SCOPE
The Government is poised to announce its “Bowden Urban Village” Development Plan Amendment shortly, but a check of the website at the Land Management Commission shows that zoning changes may well extend well beyond the origin scope of the Clipsal site.
During the extensive community consultation period during 2010, the LMC website proclaimed that:
“ Any potential changes to land use outside the Clipsal and Origin sites – as proposed in the Consultants' Preferred Area Plan – are illustrative only of potential development in the broader area in the long-term future. The Area Plan has been developed to ensure that Bowden Urban Village is developed to integrate with the surrounding area now, and into the future.
Any future changes would be subject to a formal rezoning process and
consultation, through the City of Charles Sturt.”
As of December 2010 however, these assurances were dropped from the Governments website. This co-incided with the Governments adoption of an inner metro draft plan to increase development in proximity to the park lands, which was leaked to the Sunday Mail earlier this year.
“Wealth Creators” tour Boucatt Reserve –unaware of the possible extension of Government zoning changes .
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