Queensland Government says rest area initiative is delivering for truck drivers, as planning continues for more facilities
May 13, 2011
The Queensland Government says its initiative to increase the number of heavy vehicle rest areas is already delivering results, as planning continues for more facilities.
Minister for Main Road Craig Wallace says the Government’s plan to construct 56 new rest areas by 2014 delivered more than 23 by late last year.
He says most of the $16 million spent on the rest areas went to rural and regional roads including the Cunningham, Leichhardt, Dawson, Flinders and Landsborough highways.
Wallace says another 33 new rest areas and 23 new stopping areas will be built by 2014 under the rest area program, which now totals more than $58 million.
“I recently opened a rest stop at Mingela on the Flinders Highway,” he says.
“Planning is underway to build even more heavy vehicle rest areas across the Bruce and Warrego highways, with 16 rest areas and 19 stopping bays planned for these all-important freight networks over the next few years.”
Wallace says the Government is looking at providing additional rest areas as part of road projects wherever possible.
“Professional truck drivers do a great job keeping Queensland cities and towns connected and delivering our produce to markets.However, they are particularly prone to fatigue, which is a killer on our roads,” he says.
“The best way to fight fatigue is to rest and we are helping truckies stay safe by providing many more rest areas and stopping places.”
Wallace says there four fatalities due to fatigue involving freight vehicles in Queensland last year.
The Queensland Government completed work on the $1.3 million site at Critters Camp on the Gulf Development Road, south of Normanton in February. Another two new sites are in the final stages of completion at Nondoo and Dirranbandi on the Castlereagh Highway, south of St George, at a combined cost of $750,000.
Wallace says a motorist-only rest area at Waverley Creek south of Mackay on the Bruce Highway will be expanded by mid-2012 to include dedicated heavy vehicle parking at a cost of $1.8 million.
br />Another $2 million is due to be spent erecting a rest area at Tooloombah Creek between Rockhampton and St Lawrence in 2013-2014.
Work on the Warrego Highway includes a new $1.1 million site between Toowoomba and Dalby planned for delivery by mid 2012 and a $900,000 site between Dalby and Miles by 2012-2013.