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LBCA 2016: Higher productivity trucks a priority for Duncan Gay

NSW roads minister uses livestock transporter conference to chart his priorities for current term in office.

 

New South Wales roads minister Duncan Gay has pledged to devote more time to securing greater access for larger and more productive truck combinations during his current term in office.

During his appearance at this year’s Livestock and Bulk Carriers Association (LBCA) annual conference, Gay listed higher productivity trucks as one of three major priorities he intends to deliver upon over the next three years.

NSW has opened up significant parts of its road network to heavier combinations in recent times and implemented schemes such as Livestock Loading and Grain Harvest to boost operator payloads, and Gay now plans to build on the success of the initiatives. 

“In the next three years the top three priorities I want to deliver are: one, getting more higher productivity trucks on our roads to reduce the truck trips and give you a better payload; two, better access to our local road and state road networks by continuing to remove the freight pinch points; [three], improving safety,” Gay says.

He says improving road safety is vital to selling the case to the community about higher productivity trucks, which can include super B-doubles and B-triples.

“We are not going to get through it unless we can show that it is safe to operate in their area,” he says.

Gay believes the NSW Government and the trucking industry will have a stronger chance of securing community support for the use super B-doubles as opposed to B-triples near city centres given super B-doubles use fewer trailers.

“If we can push super B-doubles closer to the cities, and getting close to the same capacity [as B-triples], they are better than B-triples because if the people who are against bigger, heavier vehicles see three trailers they are more worried than if they see two trailers that are bigger and can carry about the same weight,” he says.

Gay says work is currently underway to improve access for trucks on council-controlled roads.

A government sub-committee involving Roads and Maritime Services representatives, local government officials, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and industry is working on resolving first mile and last mile access issues.

“I also understand that this committee is developing a list of access priority areas to focus on which is sensible. We’ve got some good people involved in this group and we’re looking for real progress soon,” he says.

Photography: Brad Gardner

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