Maribyrnong council has rejected a transport company’s application to operate Super B-Double high productivity freight vehicles (HPFV) in the municipality.
Wettenhall Logistics applied to use five of the 30-metre vehicles – dubbed “monster trucks” by Roads Minister Terry Mulder while in opposition – for up to 25 weekly trips to Olympia Street, Tottenham.
Deputy mayor Grant Miles said there was a place for the vehicles, but that was on freeways, not local roads.
“We certainly are not saying we are never going to approve these vehicles on any routes in Maribyrnong, but this particular route I don’t see as appropriate, especially in terms of safety.”
The council will write to VicRoads calling for an agreed freight route network and further consultation with the council and the community on HPFV use.
The rejection follows the council’s call for a complete ban on trucks in the area until their safety can be guaranteed.
Cr Nam Quach said a report to last week’s council meeting suggesting more than 7000 potentially unsafe truck trips through Maribyrnong per day showed the state government was failing in its duty of care in failing to crack down on unsafe trucks. “Trucks in Maribyrnong are a time bomb just ticking away,” Cr Quach said.
Cr Miles said the area had carried the freight load “literally and metaphorically” more than any other area in Melbourne and possibly in Australia.
“With over 20,000 trucks travelling through our streets each day it’s extremely important we get assurances from VicRoads and the transport operators that they are able to be used on our roads safely,” he said.
“It’s just getting worse and worse, just becoming an urgent issue.”
Greens MP Colleen Hartland in Parliament last week backed the council’s push for a ban on trucks.
“I share Maribyrnong council’s concerns for the safety of the inner west and I support its call for an immediate ban on all large trucks on local roads in the city of Maribyrnong, especially roads containing schools and community facilities, pending a full audit of safety compliance controls and associated regulatory enforcement undertaken by VicRoads,” Ms Hartland said.
A VicRoads spokeswoman said data was not collected on the annual number of heavy vehicle inspections in each council area.
“It’s estimated VicRoads transport safety services officers have inspected approximately 3000 heavy vehicles in the Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay areas.”
