I’m sure many truck operators will breathe a sigh of relief to hear Sydney is finally getting its first heavy vehicle rest area in Eastern Creek in the western suburbs. For years, there has been nowhere to stop between Wyong and Pheasant’s Nest, which is approximately a three-hour drive in heavy traffic (with the exception of BP Eastern Creek, where it’s very hard to get a park, if at all).
Significantly, this is a joint investment by the NSW and the federal governments working together, with both governments footing the bill, each contributing $40 million towards the construction. At six hectares squared, this is a significant footprint, which demonstrates how committed the state and federal governments are to looking after truck drivers.
You’ve got to give the NSW government their dues as they initiated and drove this proposal, while hearing from drivers about what was needed. This was their election commitment, which they have honoured, no doubt pleasing many truck drivers who work or travel through the area. The NSW government has acquired the land already and the position couldn’t be better, as it’s close to major transport roads, as well as industrial. This is ideal for drivers transporting goods between Victoria and Queensland, or into and out of Sydney.
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I was part of a group of truck drivers, including members from the Transport Workers’ Union, who also contributed to the development. No one knows the needs of the freight industry better than drivers and you cannot understate the importance of feedback from actual members of the industry. We have a stake in managing fatigue as it’s our lives on the line, as well as other road users, not to mention the taxpayers footing the bill, so everyone benefits from getting this right.
This rest area is proposed to be a modern up-to-date construction with facilities for showering, secluded bays for sleeping and shaded areas for stretching our legs. Other state governments could take a leaf out of the NSW government’s book and also invest significantly in rest areas, either with or without federal government funds. After all, the impact of the freight industry isn’t just limited to the broader national economy, but to businesses and consumers within individual states and territories. The choice of Eastern Creek is an important one as the western suburbs is a key industrial hub and it’s only five minutes from the M7 and 10 minutes from the M4.
Other Australian cities could probably find equivalent areas close to industrial hubs or key transport areas which could be ideal for similar constructions. For example, in South Australia, the northern suburbs would be a prime location for a rest area given the huge amount of freight that runs through that area and the level of industry that is based there. In Brisbane, the Larrapinta area could possibly be a good choice for the same reasons. In Melbourne you may need to have two rest areas, one either side of the city, to accommodate the different freight routes that service the area.
Importantly, there will be separate bathroom facilities for men and women, which I’m sure many female truck operators will appreciate. The Western Sydney Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Engagement Report also cites feedback that the safety of female truck drivers was a priority in the proposed construction, with extra lighting, surveillance and pathways factored in. With more women entering the trades, it’s only reasonable we become more accommodating as an industry and us blokes know what happens when the maintenance of facilities for truckies goes by the wayside.
Far too many truck drivers have fallen victim to fatigue – the NSW government revealed a 47 per cent rise in fatal fatigue-related crashes in 2024. No driver wants to drive fatigued but supply chain pressures are constant. That’s why initiatives like these rest areas, along with others to address the root causes, are so important. By putting their money where their mouths are, our state and federal governments are making tangible decisions that can curb fatigue-related truck fatalities and they should be commended for that.
We should feel quite optimistic about the focus on our safety, given state and federal investment in rest areas, including those getting developed on the back of the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Initiative, led by Senator Glenn Sterle, a former truck driver himself. When you combine this with the road transport section of the Closing Loopholes legislation and the applications put into the Fair Work Commission to make our industry safer, I think it’s fair to say we’ve come a long way towards having a safer freight industry. There’s always more to do, but these are important steps in the right direction, which will make our industry safer for future generations of drivers.
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