THE SYDNEY Port Corporations (SPC) has announced that heavy vehicles using the SPC Port Botany facility during peak hours will be charged a peak pricing levy of $160 beginning next year.
The NSW branch of Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has strongly opposed the levy and described it as a “nail in the tyre” for trucking operators.
ATA NSW manager Jill Lewis said the charges will cause a number of trucking companies to close their doors.
She added freight levels have already been falling as a result of the global financial crisis and said the imposition of new fees will make it harder for trucking businesses to make ends meet.
The issue has been circling since an Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) review into improving efficiency into the port, and SPC Chief Executive Grant Gilfillan made it official at a recent meeting with the trucking industry.
Gilfillan said the decision can be backed up by trials at the port which set out to determine the best way to deal with congestion problems.
He said the trial found that the operations of stevedores and carriers continue to be concentrated during peak periods, adding to the risk of continued congestion at the port across the day.
Gilfillan added the trial revealed there is a clear need to drive demand away from peak and shoulder periods towards off-peak periods.
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