Vic Government pushes rail over road transport

The Victorian Government has extended its Mode Shift Incentive Scheme (MSIS) as it looks to keep its promise of decongesting local roads by eliminating trucks it has revealed.

As part of its Suburban Transport Blitz the Government has announced it will allocate $4 million in extended funding for the scheme as reported in the 2019-2020 Budget.

This underscores the Government’s $8 million investment to remove trucks from local roads in favour of rail transport.

In a statement released today the Andrews Government said it would "help Victoria’s truck drivers to be safer and more skilled on our roads."

"Extending the MSIS will increase efficiency and cost effectiveness in the freight sector and reduce congestion on roads in and around freight and port precincts," it continued.

"Along with the Port Rail Shuttle Network, these initiatives are helping better use our rail freight facilities and gives more companies incentives to shift from road to rail."

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said the Government was delivering on its promise to take thousands of trucks off the roads each year, which was making a difference for commuters who use Melbourne's increasingly busy roads every day.

“With more and more freight being moved every year, we’re making it more efficient for the freight sector to move containers from road to rail,” she said.

(Image: Melissa Horne Victorian Minister for Ports and Freight).