The industry has moved to welcome the news yesterday that Western Sydney will receive its first heavy vehicle rest stop.
Yesterday, the federal government revealed it would be building Western Sydney’s first truck stop at Eastern Creek, with the federal and New South Wales governments contributing $40 million each to the project.
Peak body Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) has welcomed the announcement, saying it will help reduce driver-fatigue by providing hard-working truckies with a decent, safe location to rest, sleep, eat, shower and use toilet facilities.
The purpose-built six-hectare greenfield site is five minutes from the M7 and 10 minutes from the M4, supporting long-haul drivers on the road between Pheasants Nest to the south of Sydney and Wyong the the north of Sydney.
Featuring flushing toilets, hot showers, clean drinking water and secluded sleeping bays and shaded area, RFNSW says it provided feedback on the project.
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“This is great news for RFNSW and our members and we commend the NSW and federal governments for listening to us and helping us restore, dignity and respect for hard-working truckies,” RFNSW CEO Simon O’Hara says.
“A truck stop like this, in a strategic location close to busy motorways, is critical for long-haul drivers to better manage fatigue and do their job safely, reducing fatigue and the incidence and severity of heavy vehicle crashes on the NSW road network.”
O’Hara says RFNSW is pleased that the new heavy vehicle rest area at Eastern Creek would also include separate toilet and shower facilities for female drivers.
“As we continue to experience labour shortages across the freight industry, not only do we need to retain our current workforce, but we need to recruit more young people, particularly women into our ranks,” he says.
“That’s why it’s imperative that we make the industry attractive for new talent and providing long-haul drivers with high-quality truck stops, where they can get appropriate rest and sleep, with separate clean, facilities for female drivers, is a must. Truckies deserve the same high standard of toilets and facilities that white collar workers expect from their employer.”
NSW roads minister John Graham says the rest stop will help reverse the perception that Sydney is the least friendly city for truckies in Australia.
“It’s not just the tolls and the traffic. You expect those, but you also expect to be able to find a toilet. And the truth is, you can’t do that between Wyong and Pheasants Nest. That’s a couple hours’ drive,” he says.
“That’s 180 kilometres between dedicated rest stops for truck drivers moving through Sydney. That’s not safe. It’s not dignified. It needs to change. You can see why Sydney’s got that reputation. It’s the least friendly city for trucks in the country.
“We’re going to change that. This will be a crucial part of that plan to change that. Having this large site with dedicated stopping areas. We’ve talked about 800 members of the freight community to be able to work out what’s required here.”
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) also welcomed the announcement, saying this rest area will help truck drivers and operators placed under pressure to get their rest breaks in and curb driver fatigue issues.
“This is a welcome announcement from the Minns and Albanese governments, and which will work alongside other initiatives in this area to make road transport safer for all participants,” Kaine says.
“Dedicated rest areas for truck drivers are critical for fatigue management and decent standards on the road. At the same time, we’re getting to the root of the cause that’s causing immense pressure to be loaded onto drivers to drive fatigued, skip rest breaks and delay truck maintenance.
“Using new laws passed by the Albanese government, we’re using every tool at our disposal to ensure the top of the supply chain pays its fair share for decent jobs for truck drivers, viability for transport businesses, and safety for other road-users.”
Senator Glenn Sterle also spoke at the announcement, saying the rest stop is proof that men and women in the trucking industry shouldn’t expect to “carry around a roll of toilet paper and try and find a bush somewhere in Sydney or Melbourne”.
“This facility will provide up to 100 truck drivers a safe haven to pull over and manage their fatigue,” he says.
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