Truckies can expect vastly improved amenities at 13 rest areas across Western Australia this year, thanks to a $20 million joint investment by the state and federal governments.
Work will progressively commence on each of the locations below over the next six months, with all improvements due for completion in late 2022, said WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti in a statement today.
Work recently commenced at the heavy vehicle rest area in Munjina adjacent to the Auski-Munjina Roadhouse and Accommodation and includes the sealing of the rest of the area and improved access for heavy vehicles.
Pilbara
- Marble Bar Road – Minor rest area improvements, construct ablution block ($170,000)
- Great Northern Highway at Karijini Drive – Upgrade rest area, construct ablution block ($1.2 million)
- Great Northern Highway at Bell Street – Minor Road Train Assembly Area improvements, construct ablution block ($280,000)
- Great Northern Highway, Newman – Construct new Road Train Assembly Area and ablution block ($12.2 million)
- Great Northern Highway, Munjina – Construct new rest area ($3.4 million)
- Great Northern Highway, Redmont – Minor rest area improvements, construct ablution block ($170,000)
Mid-West and Gascoyne
- Great Northern Highway, Wubin – Minor rest area improvements, construct ablution block ($200,000)
- Great Northern Highway 115 kilometres north of Wubin – Minor rest area improvements, construct ablution block ($200,000)
- North West Coastal Highway, Northampton – Minor rest area improvements, construct ablution block ($200,000)
- Minilya Exmouth Road – Minor rest area improvements, construct shower and ablution block ($400,000)
Wheatbelt
- Great Eastern Highway, Northam – Minor Road Train Assembly Area improvements, construct ablution block ($100,000)
Goldfields Esperance
- Main Reef Road (Goldfields Highway), Leonora – Extend Road Train Assembly Area, construct ablution block ($1.6 million)
South-West
- Willinge Drive, Bunbury – Minor Road Train Assembly Area improvements, construct ablution block ($200,000)
These priority projects are part of the $50 million Freight Vehicle Productivity Improvement Program, that includes improvements that will allow for safer turning movements, improvements to parking and breakdown areas for combination vehicles reducing noise and dust, and the construction of ablution blocks at some locations.
The locations above were identified through extensive consultation with peak industry groups, including Transport Workers Union (WA Branch), Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA and Western Roads Federation.
“Our engagement with the transport industry has helped WA achieve outcomes that are often the envy of our eastern state counterparts and providing these much needed amenities and facilities in regional WA will only make it that much easier for our freight drivers,” said Saffioti.
“The heavy vehicle industry has advocated for all needs to be addressed in one place creating a ‘one stop’ approach, and we are delivering these improvements to support road safety and provide greater opportunities for heavy vehicle operators to utilise as part of their fatigue management.”
TWU state secretary Tim Dawson the construction and renovation will provide much needed refuge for truckies.
“The degrading quality of the amenities has been well-documented by the Transport Workers’ Union and Labor Senator Glenn Sterle, in our campaign to clean up Australian roadhouses,” said Dawson.
“This project will help go a long way to rectifying the current state of truck driver amenities.
“This is an important win for our members, who deserve the same minimum hygiene, health, and safety provisions as anyone else, when they’re out on the road.”
The 2022-23 program is also being developed through consultation with industry and will continue to be developed to ensure the appropriate priority areas for drivers are identified for forward works planning.