The Queensland Government has established a freight-specific hotline to get goods moving around the state again after widespread flooding
January 20, 2011
The Queensland Government has established a freight-specific hotline to get goods moving again after widespread flooding devastated much of the state.
Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace says the hotline will provide help and information to freight operators and primary producers trying to move goods around flooded or damaged roads.
Wallace says reopening transport routes and keeping freight moving is vital to Queensland’s economic recovery. He has appealed to the public to leave the freight hotline free for road transporters.
“The hotline will enable freight operators to access specific information on alternative routes they can use, load limits, applying for heavy vehicle permits that cannot be provided through normal processes in affected regions, and special access in cases of emergency or great need,” he says.
“It’s really important that the line is not jammed with general enquiries.”
Wallace says the Department of Transport and Main Roads is also updating its road information website to include extra information on freight routes.
“Queensland roads have been damaged more than any other piece of state government infrastructure during the flooding,” he says.
“The damage ranges from weakened surfaces and potholes to serious structural issues and whole roads being washed away.”
Load limits are being reviewed daily, with Wallace saying routes are being opened as quickly as possible.
PERMIT FEES WAIVED FOR VOLUNTEERS
Wallace says the Government is also waiving permit fees for excess-mass and excess-dimension vehicles that help the flood recovery effort.
“We want to ensure that people who are donating their time, equipment and effort are not faced with permit charges for at least the next month,” he says.
The freight-specific hotline, dubbed the Flood Recovery Road Access Group, will operate from 6am to 11pm Sunday to Friday.
Freight operators can call the hotline on 1300 105 647.
General motorists can access road information here, by calling 131940 and phoning the RACQ on 1300 130 595.