SEATS seeks representation on T4NSW Illawarra Rail Resilience Plan
During 2024 SEATS made a submission to Transport for NSW for it to be regarded as a regional stakeholder in the development of the Illawarra Rail Resilliance Plan.
Additionally SEATS sought to have the scope of the Illawarra Rail Resilience Plan include the existing significant freight movements along the Moss Vale to Unanderra rail line, as these form an important interaction with the passenger services operated on the Sydney Trains network.
Early indications are that both of these requests are to be accepted as the process to develop the plan starts rolling out in 2025.
The NSW Rail network within the SEATS region servicing the Illawarra Shoalhaven Region consists of two main rail lines.
>  The South Coast Line running from Sydney through Wollongong and terminates at Bomaderry on the northern side of the Shoalhaven River.
– Two loops service Port Kembla between Coniston Junction and Unanderra
– This South Coast Line also provides rail access directly to Port Botany

>  The Moss Vale – Unanderra Line links the Main Southern line at Moss Vale down the Illawarra Escarpment to Unanderra and provides access to/from the Port Kembla loops.

• Freight trains travelling to Bomaderry are required to use either of the Port Kembla loops to change direction as they also do for the reverse   journey.

A proposal to Sydney Trains & T4NSW has be put by the Manildra Group to provide a siding for train turnarounds between Unanderra and Coniston Junction, thus eliminating the delays in having to use the Pt Kembla loop for each train journey (twice/day)
Over 7m tonnes per annum of grain moves between west of Yass to Bomaderry via rail (via Moss Vale, Unanderra, Pt Kembla loop to Bomaderry) or road (via Wilton/Picton Rd/Mt Ousley Rd to Bomaderry). Road transport is used when rail possessions are in place or for track maintenance after an incidence or to manage peak requirements.