The Australian, WA and SA governments are working with the heavy vehicle industry to help ensure recent flooding does not cut off North West Australian communities from food and essential supplies.
Temporary access will be provided to Class 3 vehicles to ensure the delivery of essential goods to North Western Australia and the Northern Territory via South Australia, in response to key freight route closures caused by recent flooding.
The National Class 3 Supplementary Access (Western Australia Assistance) Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1) will provide temporary access for Class 3 vehicles that are road trains up to 53.5 metres in length to join the Road Train Type 2 network at Port Augusta SA, to deliver essential goods to North Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
The notice will allow Class 3 vehicles to travel from the Lincoln Highway and Eyre Highway to provide a safe and efficient alternative route into Western Australia.
“This temporary access will allow increased freight capacity on alternative road networks to keep essential freight moving and ensure communities in North West Australia have access to food and essential supplies,” said acting Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Madeleine King.
The Western Australian Government has also put in place permits allowing road trains up to 53.5 metres to travel between Coolgardie and the South Australian border.
“The impact to the road network from this flooding emergency has been significant but the Western Australian Government has moved quickly to put in place permits that will allow larger road trains to travel between Coolgardie and the South Australian border,” added acting Western Australia Minister for Transport, Planning, Ports John Carey.
“This exemption notice will ensure those longer road trains can continue their journey on the South Australian side of the border.
“Allowing for larger road trains means we can move freight more efficiently by road to parts of our state’s northwest and the Northern Territory.”
The temporary notice will expire on Tuesday February 28, 2023.