Environment
Transport makes up 20% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions
Road transport accounts for 85% of transport emissions (or about 16% of Australia’s total emissions).
Rail transports half of Australia’s freight, but produces only 4% of transport emissions.
How can transport emissions be reduced? Switch to a lower-emissions mode of transport: RAIL!
Australia is unusual in the developed world in not having mandatory emissions or fuel economy standards.
The third way transport emissions can be reduced is by changing the way people and freight are moved, and reducing the need for movement while maintaining living standards. These changes improve the emissions intensity of travel or reduce transport demand. The potential for passenger mode shift is difficult to quantify—users’ mode selection depends on the price and desirability of the alternative transport options available and, potentially, policies and programs that influence travel behaviour.
WAITING FOR THE GREEN LIGHT: TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE
"Australia’s cars are more polluting; our relative investment in and use of public and active transport options is lower than comparable countries; and we lack credible targets, policies, or plans to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from transport."
The rail network in the Netherlands went all renewable in 2017.
Trucks and light vehicles are responsible for more than 80% of our transport emissions. Rail is about 4%
Wrong turn: why Australia's vehicle emissions are rising
Transport emissions should be falling with better technology, but policy inertia has left Australian motorists – and the environment – worse off
Australia postpones adoption of Euro 6 until 2027
"These standards are among the worst in the OECD. According to motoring review website drive.com.au, only Mexico, among OECD’s 36-member countries, has lower petrol quality."
How big will the tunnel portals be? As big as this one?
If that was the case this is how much space the South Portal might take up
Remembering that the plan hasn't been finalised yet. It could be bigger or smaller.
But this is a possibility! Same at the north which might result in a big hole where the heavy vehicle checking station is now. That whole area.
Noise Pollution
One train can divert 50 to 100 trucks off the roads depending on a range of factors.
26+ m B-Doubles are designed for line haul (ie origin and destination outside the Lithgow-Laptone area in this case) and their cargo should be moved by rail for reasons in addition to noise.
B Doubles are not suited to LPUD (local pick up and delivery) and should be banned from the GWH between Lithgow and Lapstone. This already happens in Europe (see References and Research)
Australian Research
VicRoads ROSANNA ROAD-GREENSBOROUGH HIGHWAY - HEAVY VEHICLE NOISE ASSESSMENT
Conclusion p. 5
· "A sample of approx. 250 heavy vehicle pass-bys was obtained and the range … was 6 dB(A). Class 3 and 7 (four axle articulated) vehicles produced …lowest levels at 74 dB(A), while Class 10 (B double or heavy truck and trailer) produced at 80dB(A).
· Based on the sleep disturbance criteria established from the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage Road Noise Policy, March 2011 (RNP), it is predicted that all heavy vehicle pass-bys within the sample obtained will exceed the sleep disturbance thresholds of 60 – 65 dB(A), measured externally at a typical residential property facade along the corridor."
Rosanna Road is not unlike parts of Medlow Bath where houses are close to the road, though there are many more of them in Heidelberg. In Medlow Bath, Coachhouse Lane, Delmonte Avenue and Bellevue Crescent would be particularly affected).
About 2000 trucks a day travelled on Rosanna Road compared to about 1200 a day through Medlow Bath in 2016.
"NSW Road Noise Policy" has recommendations for traffic noise
"5.8 Long-term strategies
Longer term strategies to address road traffic noise include but are not limited to:
investigating changes to transportation, for example, shifting freight transport to rail from road
...
improving the quality of public transport services and expanding public transport networks
...
developing travel demand management measures"
"
Noise Guide for Local Government (NSW EPA)
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). An A weighted sound level, dB(A), approximates the human ear’s response to sound as the human ear is less sensitive to lower frequencies. An increase of 10 dB is perceived as twice as loud and therefore an increase of 20 dB is four times as loud.
Transport is letting Australia down in the race to cut emission
"Transport emissions have gone up 64% since 1990. That’s the largest percentage increase of any sector."