A VicRoads mistake has led to dozens of trucks driving down Yarraville’s Somerville Rd without a permit
A VICROADS blunder has caused a torrent of B-double trucks to rumble down a Yarraville road despite it never being an approved truck route.
North West
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A VICROADS blunder has caused a torrent of B-double trucks to rumble down a Yarraville road despite it never being an approved route.
An error on the VicRoads website displayed B-double trucks were allowed to travel on Somerville Rd without obtaining a permit, according to an incorrect B-double interactive map.
Maribyrnong Truck Action Group president Samantha McArthur said the group had spent the past five months going between VicRoads and Maribyrnong Council to get to the bottom of the mistake, after noticing dozens of trucks driving down the road.
“It looks like we have a resolution … but residents are still noticing a high number of B-doubles, so it’s obviously going to take a while to undo the mistake,” she said.
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Currently the drivers of B-double trucks who wish to travel on Somerville Rd in Yarraville are required to obtain a permit from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
The trucks that are granted permission are over-dimensional vehicles that cannot fit on other streets due to tight corners and bridges.
VicRoads heavy vehicle services director Eric Henderson said the requirement for permits was in place to strike a balance between the needs of industry and community concerns about safety, congestion, truck noise and emissions.
Mr Henderson said VicRoads was made aware of the error in June and rectified it on July 1.
“We’re working with industry to ensure they comply with curfew and permit requirements to travel on Somerville Rd,” he said.
“Our transport safety services team has increased patrols to make sure that drivers are aware of the rules.”
Curfews are in place for all trucks on Somerville Rd between Geelong Rd and Whitehall St.
Ms McArthur said she had noticed an increased presence of VicRoads on Somerville Rd.
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