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Local council bucks trend to grant road train access

NSW council to allow road trains on network, in breakthrough for wider use of the vehicles

A New South Wales rural council will allow road trains on its roads, in a breakthrough for the wider use of the more productive vehicles.

The Bland Shire Council, centred around West Wylong in the State’s mid-west, voted unanimously to allow access to road trains on all rural roads west of the Newell Highway as part of a one-year trial.

Only residential village streets will be excluded from the network.

Trucking group NatRoad calls the decision recognition of the importance of roads trains to the local economy.

The decision will help operators moving grain, stock and other produce, President Rob McIntosh says.

NatRoad member Allan Clark lobbied for the change.

“Allan has worked with the Bland Shire Council to obtain this permission for the operation of road trains, provided that truck drivers satisfy themselves about road conditions and carry out risk assessments,” McIntosh says.

“The shire has requested Allan to arrange for operators to attend a meeting about their obligations and risk assessment procedures to be utilised, and NatRoad will publicise this meeting shortly.”

The trial period is expected to commence in time for the 2009 harvest.

The Bland Shire Council will also make route MR231 (Girral to Lake Cargellico Road) from MR57 (West Wyalong-Condoblin Road) accessible permanently to road trains.

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