New truck rest areas for Tassie

Tasmanian company Shaw Contracting has commenced work on a $1.5 million contract to build the first of three new truck parking areas in Tasmania.

The new facilities at Howth will include provision for 15 heavy vehicle parking bays, toilets, lighting, water and shelter. The new Howth rest area is the first under the $5-million Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Strategy, which will be jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments.

The strategy was developed in close consultation with the Tasmania Transport Association. It sets out a plan to upgrade existing rest areas and build new facilities along key freight routes in Tasmania.

A study conducted by the Tasmania Transport Association in 2019 found that Tasmania did not meet the current guidelines for the provision of these facilities for the transport industry.

The 112-page report noted that heavy vehicle driver rest and parking areas in Tasmania are, with a few exceptions, best classed as “informal against the Austroads Guidelines”.

Many are simply roadside areas which have evolved over time by regular use and are generally not maintained by road managers. These informal areas do not provide facilities or amenities identified as optimum by the Austroads Guidelines.

Furthermore, due to site location, size, and lack of maintenance they posed a risk to drivers when using the areas, as there is not adequate room to safely pull the vehicle over and park. There is no separation between the heavy vehicle driver and other road users. In many cases, unsealed surfaces and steep shoulders result in the vehicle becoming stuck.

Tasmania’s freight and road transport systems underpin the state’s business activity and are key to its economic growth. Freight volumes are forecast to increase by 35 per cent over the next 20 years.

Providing infrastructure to support drivers is a key contribution to the industry’s efficient operations by helping them meet their needs for rest, breaks, and load and vehicle checks. The facilities will also support the industry’s efforts to attract and retain the drivers needed for the future.

Other sites planned for new facilities this year include the East Tamar Highway near the Bridport Road junction, the Midland Highway at Pontville and Glenstone Road at the Brighton Hub.

Designs are also well advanced for facilities on the Midland Highway at Kings Meadows, the Bass Highway at Forest Farm, and the Murchison Highway at Fossey River.