Residents Are Bracing for an Explosion in Truck Numbers on Moorebank Streets

Residents of Moorebank and surrounding suburbs in Sydney’s south west are bracing for an explosion in the numbers of heavy container trucks on residential streets, believing that the proposed intermodal terminals will not have sufficient parking and holding areas. Concerns were raised at a community information session about the potential for overflow parking of trucks in residential areas surrounding the proposed intermodal terminals. The issue appears to have been handballed to the local council, as the intermodal “will only have provision for twenty B Doubles in the parking area”. Local resident activist Roy Carter said: “Massive kerb, footpath and nature strip damage with residential area road stress failure may result, and of course the movement of heavy vehicles in residential areas cannot be entirely controlled. “Residents would be exposed to heavy vehicle emissions actually in their [residential] streets on a regular basis, and [to the] dangers of truck movements. “As the intermodal is to operate 24 hrs per day 7 days per week, start-up of engines at odd hours would occur as a matter of course, making such intrusion intolerable for many. “This is a consequence of a lack of on-site parking provision at the proposed intermodal. The intermodal site appears too small to perform all functions required.” Mr Carter said residents already suffer from indiscriminate parking of delivery vehicles and tip trucks at all hours, and the council has never effectively enforced local regulations even on restricted weight roads. While residences in the area around Port Botany generally have small blocks and limited off-street parking, discouraging trucks from using residential suburbs for lay-up, suburbs around Moorebank have larger blocks close to the proposed terminals, with wider residential streets and no overhead power lines, making it more attractive for high and wide trucks. Mr Carter said: “The 100-year flood level cuts down useable land near the river, restricting options for creating decent-sized parking areas – that’s why without massive provision for parking of trucks the [terminals are] a nightmare for residents. “The concern is obvious – we will be buried in trucks. “[The terminals] need to be moved to a greenfields site with room for the whole operation, with parking for terminal workers and trucks.”