The Victorian government has made an election promise to subsidise truck upgrades
The Victorian government is pledging to offer operators up to $20,000 to upgrade their vehicles if it wins the upcoming state election.
The subsidy is part of a move to improve air quality on inner west Melbourne streets.
The Age newspaper says the plan forms part of the Labor party’s 10-year clean air strategy.
“No community should have to worry about air quality in their suburb,” Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio says.
The government will spend $15 million on those subsidies if successful at the polls on November 26, and a further $5 million worth of grants would be made available to local councils to seal roads, to reduce dust pollution from trucks, and give communities in the west a breath of fresh air.
Neighbourhood lobby group the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG) says it welcomes the announcement but also calls for clearer targets, freight moved onto rail and the filtration of the West Gate Tunnel toll road.
“Let’s hope there are clear targets and timelines to ensure the program achieves its aim of cleaning up air pollution in Melbourne’s inner west,” says the group in a statement on its Facebook page.
“This is something that MTAG has long campaigned for, along with the Inner West Air Quality Network. It was also recommended by two major reports into old trucks by Austroads and the Grattan Institute. This is a great step forward.”