The Federal Labor Government, states and territories, local governments and the trucking industry have agreed to provide $82 million to upgrade the safety of Australia’s road network.
Around $67 million of this funding will be used to build or upgrade 50 rest areas, improve signage along the nation’s highways and trial smart technologies, making it safer for truck drivers to take a break or reconfigure their trailers.
These projects have been approved under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program – the first ever dedicated Federal response to the lack of safe, modern rest stops along the nation’s highways.
Delivering modern rest areas and roadside facilities means truck drivers can take a break, making highways safer for everyone.
For the first time, funding has also been set aside to improve safety at livestock saleyards and to upgrade other facilities used by the livestock transport industry.
Around $15 million will be used to build or improve the safety and condition of 119 ramps, 42 loading pens, the lighting in 16 saleyards as well as to install or upgrade truck wash points, internal roadways and install saleyard security gates.
These much needed improvements will help protect rural truck drivers who are involved in transporting livestock.
Since coming to Government in 2007, Federal Labor has invested $220 million to reduce risk and improve road safety for truck drivers and all who share the roads with the big rigs.
In the coming years the local trucking industry will also benefit from our unprecedented investment in the State’s highways and the establishment of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator which will slash red tape for transport operators and remove the costly and confusing array of state by state regulations.
Combined with the national rail safety and maritime regulators, these reforms will boost national income by $30 billion over the next two decades.
Attached is a full list of approved projects.