Curfew imposed on permit heavy haulage vehicles

29/11/94

A curfew has been imposed on all permit heavy haulage vehicles between the Bedfordale road train assembly area and Kwinana to eliminate movements during the start and finish of school.

Transport Minister Eric Charlton said the curfew, between the hours of 8 am and 9.30 am and 2.30 pm and 4 pm weekdays, began yesterday.

During these times, permit vehicles - which included all truck and trailer combinations 25 metres or more in length - would be prohibited between the junction of Eleventh Road on South Western Highway and the road train assembly area on Albany Highway.

The route is also being trialed for 25 metre to 27.5 metre road trains used for carrying fertiliser from Kwinana to the Great Southern.

So far, more than 50 road trains have used the route.

"The curfew is a further safety enhancement and is similar to that introduced in the Midland road train trial, where there have been well over 400 movements without incident or adverse comment," Mr Charlton said.

"The major safety improvement of course is the reduction in overall truck numbers along this route brought about by permitting these longer vehicles to operate under strict controls.

"In a full season, total truck movements along this route will be reduced by about 1,600."

Mr Charlton said Main Roads had notified the various schools in the local district of the curfew, namely the Armadale Primary School, Pioneer Village School and Saint Francis Xavier's.

Media contact:  Dean Roberts 321 7333