Transport challenges to take centre stage at Smart Conference

JUST ANNOUNCED: Marg Prendergast, CBD Coordinator General @TransportforNSW will open Smart Conference on Wednesday 29 March.
Marg Prendergast will present on Challenges for CBD Freight – A perspective from Sydney.
With Sydney CBD undergoing a phenomenal level of transformation, there is a significant number of public and private sector infrastructure projects being undertaken including the closure of George Street, the city’s traditional thoroughfare. Sydney CBD is a $70bn economy and in the global spotlight.
While changes occur, the city needs to continue with business as usual. 630,000 people work in Sydney CBD and rely on 35,000 commercial vehicle movements per day to support their needs. In addition, while the transformation is occurring, there is a need to accommodate high levels of construction traffic. While commercial vehicles play a major role to keep the CBD supplied, they are only one part of the ecosystem. Freight operators need to adapt to the new environment, and with the ongoing level of change, it is becoming increasingly apparent that this is long-term change. This presentation will describe how Transport for NSW is encouraging this change.
Transport for NSW is undertaking a generational level of transformation that is impacting the way we work and live. High on the priority list of things to be addressed in NSW and other states are Urban Congestion and National Connectivity. The infrastructure being delivered will benefit both passenger and freight movement.
Smart Conference will address the challenges facing the transport and logistics industry at a time of disruption and innovation. It is even timelier with the announcement this week that the Federal Government is supporting a new intelligent transport cooperative research centre – iMOVE CRC – with a $55 million R&D grant.
Changes occurring globally in technology and retailing are transforming our behaviours and supply chains. “Transport is the backbone of our economy. As a country, we will fall behind if we cannot move our people and goods effectively and efficiently,” said iMOVE CRC’s Ian Christensen.
iMOVE CRC chairman Ian Murray AM said: “As a country, we lose around $16.5 billion a year because of congestion. When you also factor in the human and financial losses due to accidents, we are looking at a phenomenal social and economic cost. We will now have the technology and smarts available to significantly alleviate these problems.”
Smart Conference, the leading event in the supply chain calendar, takes place on the 29th and 30th March at the new International Convention Centre. More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the conference and the exhibition floor has more than fifty displays including driverless forklifts and robotics automation.
For details and registration for the Conference go to https://www.smartconference.com.au. The Smart Expo is free to attend.