A new interactive tool is now available online from the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. According to the Federal Government, a new cornerstone has been laid to help Australia’s freight logistics industries to cost effectively connect regions and cities to the world, with the launch of the national key freight routes map.
The key freight route map provides a picture of the road and rail routes connecting Australia’s nationally significant places for freight, including ports, airports and intermodal terminals. The map also details road train assembly areas and how these connect to the key freight routes and secondary freight routes.
The map enables users to overlay other base maps and datasets, and focuses on mapping the location of Australia’s key resources and energy locations, including iron ore, coal, copper, gold, and major oil and gas facilities.
“The map provides a detailed picture of the road and rail routes connecting Australia’s nationally significant places for freight, including ports, airports and intermodal terminals,” said Warren Truss, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. “The interactive map will help people develop a greater understanding of our national land freight system and the online format allows users to overlay other base-maps and datasets, and zoom in to a high level of detail.
“Future development of the maps will further support planning and investment decisions, regulatory purposes and customer service features for the transport and logistics industry.”
The map has been designed to be of interest to a range of users including the transport and logistics industry, all levels of government, land use planners, researchers, and property and business groups. Its use should underpin better planning, operational and investment decisions by governments.
“The digitalised key freight routes map is a welcome addition to the suite of information guiding policy makers and is a valuable resource for Australia’s logistics industry,” said Michael Kilgariff, Australian Logistics Council Managing Director. “The full value of the map will be realised if governments take into account key freight generating areas and the routes on which this freight travels, and make their investment and policy decisions accordingly.
“How governments select, prioritise and ultimately fund infrastructure projects is critical to Australia’s economic growth, and the key freight route map has the potential to support better decision making.
“With an ALC study showing a one per cent improvement in productivity in the logistics industry would boost GDP by $2 billion, it is critical that governments prioritise logistics projects which are shown to improve supply chain efficiency.
“ALC looks forward to the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development building on the key freight route map and adding to it more detailed information about Australia’s freight flows and freight generating areas.”