The Victorian Government has added an additional 700 kilometres of High Productivity Freight Vehicle (HPFV) routes to the pre-approved network.
The new routes include key strategic corridors such as the Maroondah/Melba Highway, Princes Hwy from Bruthen to the NSW border, and the Ringwood and Yarra Glen Bypasses.
“A pre-approved network removes the need for route assessments, simplifies the application process and shortens the timeframe to get a HPFV on the road, making it easier for farmers and rural exporters to move freight around,” said the Department of Transport.
“These routes provide more simple, safe and connected journeys by reducing the regulatory burden and red tape for the movement of key commodities such as milk, grain and livestock in regional Victoria.”
Though the routes have already been in use, until now they have been subject to individual route assessments on a permit-by-permit basis. This move is set to streamline the permit process for certain Performance Based Standards (PBS) combinations along these routes.
Though operators will still need to apply for access permits, they will no longer require individual route assessments on the published routes provided their combinations comply with the Department of Transport’s suite of reference vehicles.