New truck curfews introduced in Footscray and Yarraville in January have led to significant reductions in traffic on some roads but spikes on surrounding streets.
VicRoads traffic count data released on Monday shows 75 per cent fewer trucks using Somerville Road during school crossing times and a 41 per cent drop in trucks on Moore Street at night.
Truck operators have received 170 fines of $148 for breaching curfews in this time.
But thoroughfares including Footscray’s Buckley Street have had a rise in truck traffic during curfews, forcing Roads Minister Luke Donnellen to concede a more permanent solution is needed.
Mr Donnellen visited Footscray on Monday to release the traffic data and announce the state government will spend $600,000 realigning the crash barriers protecting the Napier Street railway bridge, the site of 43 serious crashes by over-height trucks in the past five years.
He said straightening the barriers would reduce the likelihood of containers crashing off trucks and potentially hitting pedestrians.
Mr Donnellen also announced the government will reveal by December its decision on whether to proceed with Transurban’s $5.5 billion Western Distributor freeway or revert to its own $580 million Westgate Distributor plan.
“In the long run, the only way we will properly address this [truck problem] is delivering a substantial piece of infrastructure – the West Gate Distributor or the Western Distributor,” the minister said.
“In the long run, that’s the only way we will provide relief to this community from the trucks.”
Maribyrnong mayor Nam Quach said the traffic data showed mixed results.
“There is a positive message there, with the effect on Somerville Road school crossing times and likewise with the Moore Street night curfew, but overall we need to take a step back, analyse the numbers and look at the direct impact on other streets.”
Cr Quach added that much more needed to be done to stop trucks crashing into the Napier Street bridge, but the barrier realignment was a welcome start.
“It’s really a duty of care to minimise the safety risk as much as possible.”
