WESTERN suburbs MPs have warned the government that ‘monster trucks’ must be kept off residential streets.
Roads Minister Terry Mulder announced last week that longer, heavier vehicles would be allowed to use more of the road network.
Mr Mulder said allowing transport companies to use longer, high-productivity freight vehicles (HPFVs) would ensure productivity gains for the industry. “Moving more freight with fewer vehicles is imperative because we know the amount of freight is set to double in coming years.”
The 30-metre trucks would each be able to transport two 12-metre containers, weighing up to 68.5 tonnes.
Mr Mulder said the longer vehicles would be given access to only the “high-quality sections of freeway and highway”, including the Monash Freeway, CityLink, EastLink, Ring Road and West Gate Freeway. But the VicRoads Moving More with Less plan also contains a loophole allowing the use of local roads by HPFVs as part of ‘last mile’ access to pick up or deliver freight.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said these trucks — labelled ‘monster trucks’ by the Coalition while in opposition — must be kept off inner-west roads. “The hypocrisy of this mob is breathtaking at times. Under no circumstances should these larger trucks be permitted to travel on residential streets through the inner-west. Our local roads were never designed to carry them.” Shadow minister for roads and road safety Luke Donnellan said the government had broken a promise to consult the community.
“I have serious concerns that assessments made in relation to the safety of Mr Napthine’s monster trucks relate to roads outside Victoria and are not applicable locally, particularly on the West Gate Bridge where there have already been safety and maintenance concerns raised by VicRoads staff.”
