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The State Government has given its support to key recommendations for improving freight transport in the Illawarra, but hasn't outlined how it plans to fund the projects.
The government has unveiled its response to recommendations contained in Infrastructure New South Wales' 20 year strategy released earlier this year.
It's given support for incremental upgrades on the Moss Vale to Unanderra freight rail line over the next five to ten years to increase capacity, but says funding would rest with the federal government.
The state also supports funding the Maldon to Dombarton freight rail line through the private sector in the next 10 to 20 years.
The Long Term Transport Master Plan for New South Wales was also released, but contains few surprises.
It reaffirms the delivery of Princes Highway upgrades and planning in preparation for the Maldon to Dombarton freight rail line.
A growth plan for Port Kembla and a regional transport plan for the Illawarra are expected to be delivered in the new year.
Keira M-P, Ryan Park, hopes the government's forthcoming Illawarra transport plan will contain more detail than the Master Plan.
"You'd want to see a hell of a lot more than what's in their today because today's plan virtually says zero about the Illawarra, it says zero about regional New South Wales," he said.
"It talks a lot about Sydney and Sydney's needs.
Chief Executive Officer of the University of Wollongong's Smart Infrastructure Facility, Garry Bowditch, says regional plans including one for the Illawarra will be released in 2013.
Mr Bowditch says that document will be an opportunity for the Illawarra stakeholders and administrators to deal with high priority local transport issues.
"They're going to a lot of effort to listen to stakeholders and there's a real opportunity here to ensure that those robust and clear messages from the Illawarra are reflected to Macquarie Street," he said.
Topics: regional-development, transport, wollongong-2500
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