The Victorian Government is hoping its new $20 million grant program will help to improve air quality in Melbourne’s inner western suburbs by encouraging the uptake of greener trucks and sealing local roads.
Of that spend, $15 million will target truck operators who regularly use inner western roads, with grants made available to support a transition to trucks that produce fewer emissions.
The remaining $5 million in grants will be available to local councils to seal local roads, with the aim of reducing dust pollution. The Department of Transport and Planning will work with Hobsons Bay, Brimbank and Maribyrnong City Councils on establishing a list of potential local roads that most strongly meet the program’s criteria.
“We promised we’d make air cleaner in Melbourne’s inner west and that’s what we’re doing: replacing emissions-heavy old trucks and sealing roads to reduce dust pollution,” said Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne.
The Victorian Government says Melbourne’s inner west experiences significantly higher volumes of heavy vehicle traffic than other parts of Melbourne due to its high concentration of industrial uses, including empty container parks, and its proximity to the Port of Melbourne.
The completion of the West Gate Tunnel Project in 2025 and the introduction of truck bans is set to remove around 9000 trucks from roads in the inner west and cut congestion on local roads.