A REMOTE train crew depot and carpark has been approved by the Ipswich City Council for land owned by the Rosewood Bowls Club at 83 Mill Street, Rosewood.
Aurizon Operations Limited have been granted the development permit to establish the facility on the portion of the Club’s property, which is currently used for overflow parking.
In making the application, documents from Aurizon noted that the train crew depot would be required for operations from the end of 2024 for a period of up to 10 years in association with existing contracts with Aurizon’s coal customers.
The approval means the zoning of the land has changed from ‘Recreational Use’ to ‘Major Utility’ and gives the go ahead for the installation of a demountable building with a verandah and access ramp and a carpark with 16 sealed carparking spaces.
According to the Aurizon documents, the demountable building will be approximately 4.5 metres high and will be placed onto low concrete piers. It will have a pitched gable roof constructed from corrugated metal roofing and the exterior will be clad with light-weight material.
The depot will cater for up to 30 to 40 train crew working on a 24/7 rotating roster. The maximum number of crew on site at any one time will be 16.
Council approved the application in July and is currently considering the landscaping design application for the site.
WHY 83 MILL STREET?
During the assessment of the application, Council asked Aurizon to answer a number of questions that had been raised by Rosewood residents.
One question was the reason why the 83 Mill Street site was chosen considering its recreational zoning.
Aurizon’s response was that due to the prioritising of passenger services over freight services in the rail network was that the company had access to limited sites for a ‘permanent’ crew change location within South East Queensland.
“Business analysis was conducted on optional locations and this determined the Rosewood area to be most practical” … as it represented a safe crew change location, reduced car travel for our train drivers, a larger population for recruitment (Ipswich) and the short walking distance from the depot to the train pick up point.
Narrowing down the options in Rosewood, according to Aurizon, the Bowls Club land was considered and talks with the Club were favourable.
“The Rosewood Bowls Club is in proximity to amenities, on a safe street and the location will enable Aurizon’s train crew to walk between the depot and the train safely and efficiently,” Aurizon explained. “Car driving is the highest risk activity which our employees undertake and so every effort is made to reduce this in our planning and operations.
“Currently, Aurizon’s train crew drive from the Toowoomba depot, down the range, through the busy and built-up city areas to conduct crew changes at the Port of Brisbane.
“A Rosewood based depot will heavily reduce the need for our train crew to make that risky drive every day and reduce the overall time spent in cars which improves the safety for our personnel and benefits all of the communities in which we operate.
“In conjunction with the above benefits, Rosewood is a strategic location on the rail network. Not only will it enable more efficient utilisation of our labour, reducing emissions, but it also allows Aurizon to align to the different operating modes of the suburban and western rail networks of which Rosewood is the change-over point.”
NOISE IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Another question asked by Council was in regard to concerns raised about the impact of noise on the town residents caused by the stopping and starting of the freight trains to pick up and drop off crew.
Aurizon’s response was that … “under the Queensland’s Environmental Protection Act 1994, noise from the ordinary use of rail transport infrastructure is considered separately to the potential noise impacts associated with the activities at the proposed train crew depot. The term ‘rail transport infrastructure’ is defined in the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 and specifically excludes depots and other rail facilities.
“In this regard, noise associated with the ordinary use of rail transport infrastructure is that which results from the day to day use of existing rail transport infrastructure, and specifically includes the use of the railway track by rolling stock and other vehicles.
“It should be understood that such noise is not directly associated with the proposed [remote train crew depot].
“It should also be understood that this rail transport infrastructure has been in place for over 150 years and that its use by both passenger and freight services has occurred for much of this period and will continue to be so used into the known future.
“Although it occurs infrequently, it should also be understood that this location is already used for crew changes of an unplanned nature.”
