PRESS RELEASE 28/08/08
MARIBYRNONG TRUCK ACTION GROUP
Maribyrnong Truck Action Group Response to Leaked B Triple Plan
The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG) has called leaked plans to allow B Triple trucks to use suburban routes “scary” but expects Tim Pallas will not approve them.
“Anyone with a modicum of common sense will see immediately that B Triples using suburban routes is not safe,” said MTAG spokesperson Peter Knight.
“We expect that Tim Pallas will take a look at these plans and put a huge cross through them.”
However, the plans leaked to the Liberal Party, do clearly show that Geelong Rd, is one of several suburban roads included in the proposal.
“It doesn’t make sense in terms of urban amenity and it doesn’t make sense in terms of freight efficiency either,” said Mr Knight.
“The only thing B Triples will achieve is to attract freight away from rail and put it onto the road system. We will end up with the same number of trucks but they will be bigger trucks.”
MTAG’s assertion is backed up by recent studies including one by Queensland Rail which states: “The widespread introduction of B-triple trucks on Queensland roads would result in the loss of most of QR’s contestable freight to road and a 160% increase in truck traffic all of which would be B-triples carrying freight previously transported by rail.”
“Tim Pallas knows about these studies, and he has stated that it is the government’s aim to get more freight onto rail so it’s hard to imagine why he would let this through, it just wouldn’t make sense.”
Contact Peter Knight