But Transport for NSW said it won’t have any impact on passenger services using the line.

The “spoil management project” would transport rock dug up from the WestConnex project to the BlueScope Commonwealth Rolling Mills (CRM)  site on Old Port Road.

The Transport for NSW website states “planning approval for the project has now been determined”.

However, a start date for the project had not been set due to the need to wait for all approvals to be finalised.

“The clean spoil management process proposed by Transport for NSW has been assessed after a period of community consultation and has been found to be sound, with the potential to deliver benefits to the community,” a Transport for NSW spokesman said.

“This includes in-fill, often needed for larger development sites, which in turn generates local employment opportunities.”

The project would see as many as 9000 tonnes of rock a day transported by freight trains, to be used as fill on approved sites.

However, in response to feedback on the Review of Environmental Factors (REF), Transport for NSW said the CRM site would not be used to stockpile the WestConnex rock.

“The spoil would not be transported without an agreed destination and separate approvals would be required to facilitate the re-use of this spoil,” the report stated.

“The approval for re-use would be in place prior to the spoil being transported.”

The plan would involve a maximum of six freight train movements a day – three in each direction.

While the REF suggested some movements would affect peak-hour commuters, the response to feedback said this would be minimal.

“The freight trains would be scheduled so as to minimise impacts with passenger services,” the feedback report stated.

“Transport for NSW is working with the freight industry on the options available.

“Passenger services would be unlikely to experience impacts as a result of this proposal.”

This project would go ahead despite earlier claims there was no room for more trains on the South Coast line.