Section 9 - Ground Transport Plan - Melbourne Airport

Ground Transport Plan :: 9
9.2.8 Freight and Logistics
Melbourne Airport is an important freight hub in Victoria
and Australia, and internationally. It operates 24 hours
a day, seven days a week and currently processes over
250,000 tonnes of international air freight per annum.
Freight transport accesses the airfield through the various
freight terminals at the end of the Southern Precinct.
Freight terminals in this area are designed to interface
goods from landside for transfer to and from the aircraft.
Security and regulatory requirements are administered
within that location.
The road network must retain capacity to cater for
freight growth. This poses challenges that go beyond the
volume of vehicles. Road transport operators are being
encouraged to use larger vehicles that are increasingly
designed to minimise road damage and in some cases,
work with existing road geometry. The new roads being
planned by Melbourne Airport to service the freight
area and Business Park (including Airport Drive and
Link Road) are being designed to cater for larger vehicles
such as B-Doubles and where appropriate B-Triples.
This will promote more efficient freight movement.
Logistics is also an important element in the movement
of goods within the airport road network. A number of
businesses operate within the airside (secured) area
on the airfield, and goods are delivered to and waste
removed from these businesses. The airside area is also
used by other traffic, including aviation support vehicles
such as refuelling, catering, maintenance and security
services. Access to this area has traditionally been
provided through Gate 35 at the northern end of Services
Road. However, this caused congestion at the Southern
Terminal Precinct and was recently relocated to Gate 27,
which provides access from the newly constructed section
of Francis Briggs Road. A dedicated goods and waste
management (logistics centre) facility is being planned.
9.3 Ground Transport Demand
Melbourne Airport has developed detailed future traffic
projections using a modelling and forecasting process.
The airport has considered air patronage growth,
land use development and projected employment
when developing transport demand projections for
the next 20 years.
DRAFT
This section discusses existing and future passenger,
employment, commercial, and freight and logistics
demand. Graph 9.1 shows percentage comparisons
of air passenger vehicle trips which comprise the majority
of traffic demand at Melbourne Airport.
Graph 9.1: Traffic Demand by User Type
Commercial development, freight and logistics
24%
Staff
20%
56%
Passenger
MELBOURNE Airport Master plan 2013 – PRELIMINARY DRAFT : : 113