The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) has endorsed the State Government’s announcement of heavy vehicle curfews as part of the West Gate Tunnel project.
This endorsement highlights the improved liveability and enhanced efficiency that the West Gate Tunnel will deliver to local residents and freight operators, respectively.
The Tunnel will provide an alternative for heavy vehicles requiring direct access to the Port of Melbourne, while reducing their movements on residential streets in Melbourne’s inner west.
Under these new curfews, once the West Gate Tunnel opens in December, Williamstown Road will become a ‘No-Truck Zone’ between Geelong Street in Seddon and the West Gate Freeway in Yarraville during the following times:
- Weekdays: 8pm to 6am
- Weekends: 8pm Friday to 6am Monday
Exemptions to these curfews will apply for essential deliveries, and compliance will be monitored through smart roadside cameras.
VTA CEO, Peter Anderson, said the curfews represent a win-win for residents and freight operators alike.
“The West Gate Tunnel will provide a much more seamless and efficient alternative for heavy vehicles that require direct access to the Port of Melbourne,” he said.
“This infrastructure investment means we can reduce truck movements on residential streets like Williamstown Road while ensuring freight operators have the capacity they need to keep Victoria moving,” said Anderson.
“Striking a balance between community amenity and economic prosperity is critical.”
However, the announcement of these curfews have been met with criticism by the container transport sector, which is concerned that the restrictions will impact productivity.
“Container transport operators feel very let down — victimised and demonised even,” said Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) Director, Neil Chambers.
“Without the vast majority of these containers being moved effectively and productively by road transport to and from the premises of cargo and commodity, importers and exporters, the standard of living of everyday Victorians and Australians will be impacted very negatively.”
According to Chambers, the CTAA had previously expressed its support for these heavy vehicle curfews on the condition that the State Government implement other container transport-specific infrastructure throughout Greater Melbourne.
“CTAA and our Alliance companies have worked with the Government and the Department of Transport & Planning (DTP) for many years to prepare for the implementation of No Truck Zones on the east-west routes in Melbourne’s inner west,” Chambers said.
“That support however was predicated on the need for important north-south routes from the industrial precincts of Brooklyn, Tottenham and Sunshine to the West Gate Freeway (M1) to remain accessible and to be upgraded to accommodate an increase in freight movements.”
Chambers further explained that a corridor study conducted along Millers Road and Williamstown road, suggested by the West Gate Tunnel Project’s initial Environmental Effects Statement (EES), provided a list of recommended freight route upgrades to optimise transport and limit congestion in the area.
The Victorian Government has not implemented these upgrades.
“This failure to act now leaves the freight industry facing delays, congestion and inadequate freight routes between the Port of Melbourne and industrial precincts in the inner west,” Chambers said.
“CTAA is extremely concerned that the existing dilapidated road infrastructure and traffic light-sequencing will not cope”
In light of these concerns, the CTAA has modelled that the heavy vehicle tolls on the M1 will increase container freight cartage costs by between 13 per cent to upwards of 30 per cent depending on the freight tasks.
According to the CTAA, heavy vehicle curfews on Williamstown Road will add to these transport costs.
“The Government needs to urgently upgrade existing freight road infrastructure as a countervailing measure to its decision to enforce even more truck bans in the inner west of Melbourne,” Chambers said.
“You can’t keep squeezing the freight sector and not expect something to break.”
.jpg)
