ATA welcomes infrastructure boost

The peak body says the Federal Government’s addition road spending is a positive step, but adequate rest areas should be a top priority

The Australian Government’s infrastructure boost will support productivity, jobs and road safety – but rest areas must not be an afterthought, says the CEO of the Australian Trucking Association, Andrew McKellar.

“The ATA welcomes the Government’s additional spending on roads across Australia,” he says.

“The spending delivers on collaborative advocacy by our members, such as the Queensland Trucking Association’s campaign for an inland freight route from Mungindi on the NSW border to Charters Towers.

“The extra road spending should prioritise safety. In particular, the Government should expand the approach that has been taken on the Bruce Highway and require the new projects to include truck rest areas as part of their initial design, instead of looking to build them later at much greater expense.

“Truck drivers need rest areas so they can take the breaks they need to drive safely and meet their compliance obligations. But there just aren’t enough rest areas on the road system.

“Pleasingly, some states and territories are beginning to do better on planning for rest areas, with new projects and strategies released or under development in Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales following the strong work of ATA member associations.

“Ultimately, these strategies and the hard work of ATA members need to be backed by investment from the Australian Government and included as a mandatory standard in federal infrastructure spending,” he said.

The additional Government funding for road projects includes:

New South Wales
• $2 billion for the Great Western Highway upgrade across the Blue Mountains
• $500 million for the Princes Highway corridor
• Key upgrades in Sydney

Victoria
• More than $2 billion for a new intermodal freight terminal
• $380 million to upgrade roads in Pakenham

Queensland
• $400 million for the inland freight route
• $400 million for the Bruce Highway

South Australia
• $2.6 billion for Adelaide’s North-South Corridor
• $161.6 million for the Truro Bypass
• $148 million for the Augusta Highway

Western Australia
• $200 million for Great Eastern Highway upgrades
• $160 million to improve the WA agricultural supply chain

Tasmania
• $80 million for Bass Highway safety and freight efficiency upgrades
• $109.9 million for upgrading the Midland Highway

Northern Territory
• $150 million for national network highway upgrades

ACT
• $26.5 million for the duplication of William Hovell Drive

ATA welcomes infrastructure boost

Tags