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To INDUSTRY/FREIGHT?
Princes Highway West is the major inter-regional transport corridor connecting the communities and industries of south-west Victoria to ports, airports, road, rail and capital cities in the south-east of Australia.
Major upgrading of the highway is fundamental to improving the efficiencies of transport access for industry to these major population and commercial centres and the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and Portland.
“The Princes Highway West is one of the region’s principal freight corridors. It provides a key access route to domestic and international markets for south eastern Australia via the Ports of Geelong and Portland. … The Princes Highway West is currently the responsibility of the State Government who have recognised and acknowledged the need for duplication and upgrades to ensure the road meets safety and infrastructure standards.” 1
The Government stated at the document launch they “had been lobbying the Federal Government to declare the Princes Highway West a Road of National Importance (forerunner to the AusLink Program)” recognising the road as the region’s principal freight corridor, servicing pivotal state industries including: grain, livestock, dairy, timber and smelter products and that fuel distribution industries rely on the route for the movement of products.
Increasing traffic levels
It is projected that by 2014 there will be:
- 10,000 vehicles per day travelling between Geelong and Colac, consisting of 25% commercial vehicles. Currently there are 6,000 vehicles per day. This represents an increase in the order of 66%. 2
“The Princes Highway West serves a number of industries in south western Victoria. The industries served include:
- Agriculture - In particular dairying along most sections of the route and milk product manufacturing focused between Warrnambool and Colac. The Warrnambool/Port Fairy region is also a potato growing area.
- Logging - from plantations in the Otway Ranges and west of Heywood, both for timber production and woodchip export via the ports of Geelong and Portland
- Grain growing - both for export from the Ports of Geelong and Portland, and for sheep fodder for live sheep exports from the Port of Portland
- Smelter products - from the aluminium plants at Geelong and Portland.” 3.
- Position statement for Princes Highway West, PHW Alliance of local government
- Duplication and upgrading of Princes Highway West – Save lives, grow our economy PHW Alliance of local government
- Princes Highway West A1 Corridor Strategy, 2002, Vic Roads
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