New restrictions on Monash

Trucks to be banned from the right-hand lane on Victorian freeway

From February 5, trucks will be banned from using the far right-hand lane on the Monash Freeway, as part of a new trial.

The restrictions will be imposed in both directions between Huntingdale Road, Mount Waverley and Jacksons Road, Noble Park.

The nine-month trial is designed to reduce lane changing on the freeway which is claimed to be a major cause of crashes. This follows a trial last year that reduced the speed of trucks to 90km/h. However, speed limits were reset back to 100km/h when the trial finished.

Permanent right-hand lane restrictions are already in place along stretches of the Eastern Freeway and on the Princes Highway between Melbourne and Geelong.

“We know that the most common cause of crashes on the Monash involve lane changes and side swipes – we want to see this reduced and that’s what this trial is all about,” said Acting Premier Tim Pallas.

Mr Pallas said car drivers needed to allow trucks to do their job by making sure they could use the lanes available to them efficiently. He said truck drivers would also need to adjust to the new conditions.

"It will place a challenge on the trucking industry to adhere to these rules," he said.

VicRoads, police and cameras will enforce the rules but truck drivers who flout them will not be fined.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said there would be discussions with truck operators who continue to use the right-hand lane.

The Monash Freeway has the highest concentration of heavy vehicles of any freeway in Victoria.

“The Monash is the perfect place for this trial – over 200,000 trips are made by drivers on the Monash Freeway each day with 40,000 of those made by heavy vehicles,” said Donnellan.

New restrictions on Monash

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