LBRCA welcomes funding for 26 new and existing projects
The NSW government has approved 26 projects under the Fixing Country Truck Washes program.
The joint venture between the federal government and the NSW government will see $10 million spent on building new or upgrading existing truck wash facilities across the state.
The Livestock Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) welcomes the news, which was announced by NSW roads minister Melinda Pavey at the NSW Nationals Conference in Broken Hill on Saturday.
Some of the approved projects include: Cobar, Barellan Road at Narrandera, Cootamundra and Cowra Saleyards, Walcha, Gunnedah, Upper Hunter, Singleton, Liverpool Plains and Broken Hill.
Both Pavey and regional development minister Fiona Nash says the funding will help build an efficient freight transport network across regional NSW by focusing on hotspots where truck washing facilities and effluent disposal do not currently meet the needs of truck operators.
“Broken Hill is one of the successful projects, receiving $700,000 under the NSW and Australian Government funding,” Pavey says.
“This will have enormous implications for the local community, saving them more than six hours in travel as the closest available truck wash facility is at Jamestown, 330 kilometres away.
“This is not only saving in productivity time and costs, but is also making our country roads safer.”
LBRCA president Lynley Miners says it was “encouraging” to see government take action on lack of adequate wash out facilities on key freight routes across NSW.
“As an Association, we have stressed time-and-time again that as a state we must be on the front foot and ensure consistent measures are in place to deliver against bio-security, community health and animal welfare requirements, not to mention ensure driver safety and minimise environmental issues,” Miners says.
“In 2017, we are set to see some positive steps forward in ensuring accessibility to an adequate wash out network along key meat and livestock freight routes in NSW – and that news is, although overdue, very welcome.
“With Round Three of the NSW Fixing Country Roads program set to be announced in the coming weeks, this is an opportune time for councils who were not successful under the NSW Fixing Country Truck Washes program to reapply for funding”.
The announcement of further successful recipients in the coming weeks.