The Victorian government has announced massive new funding that will go into modernising truck fleets and cleaning Melbourne’s air
The Victorian state government has announced it is delivering on a pledge made at last year’s election as it seeks to improve air quality in Melbourne’s inner western suburbs by modernising truck fleets and sealing local roads.
As part of a $20 million package, $15 million will target truck operators who regularly use inner western roads and make grants available to support a transition to trucks that produce fewer emissions.
A further $5 million in grants will be made available to local councils to seal local roads, reducing dust pollution.
The state government is already taking action to reduce air pollution through its investments in climate change and renewable energy.
“We promised we’d make air cleaner in Melbourne’s inner west and that’s what we’re doing: replacing emissions-heavy old trucks and sealing roads to reduce dust pollution,” Victorian ports and freight minister Melissa Horne says.
The state’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap is supported by a $100 million investment to ensure Victoria is a leader in adopting zero emissions vehicles.
Melbourne’s inner west experiences significantly higher volumes of heavy vehicle traffic than other parts of Melbourne due to its high concentration of industrial uses, including empty container parks and its proximity to the Port of Melbourne.
The Victorian government is working with community and industry to reduce the environmental impact of heavy vehicles, while making roads safer for pedestrians by lowering speed limits and banning trucks on some roads.
The completion of the West Gate Tunnel Project in 2025 and the introduction of truck bans will remove 9,000 trucks from roads in the inner west and cut congestion for local communities.
The government also continues to implement Clean Air for all Victorians, the state’s first overarching air quality strategy. It’s invested $2.8 million to establish two air quality improvement precincts in the Inner West and Outer West of Melbourne, reducing air pollution and address emerging environmental challenges, in partnership with the community and business.
“Through this important package and the implementation of our Air Quality Strategy, we’re taking action to improve air quality and tackle pollution in the west,” environment minister Ingrid Stitt says.