‘Finally getting some movement’: $80m plan for Sydney’s first truck-only stop

Truck drivers transiting through Sydney will finally have their own oasis on the road. Industry bosses say the amenity is overdue and much-needed.

Truck drivers will get their very own haven in Sydney. Picture: Damian Shaw

Weary long haul truck drivers travelling through Sydney will finally get an oasis on the road, with a massive greenfield site to be transformed into the city’s first dedicated truck stop, costing taxpayers $80 million.

The federal government and the Minns government will be contributing $40 million each to the initiative.

The six-hectare site at Eastern Creek will feature toilet blocks, hot showers, secluded parking bays for sleeping and green-shaded areas for drivers to relax outside the cabin, with room for around 100 trucks.

The site, close to a key motorway junction around the M7 and the M4, will be equally funded by the NSW and federal governments, which say the facility will help save lives.

The Minns government will contribute $40 million to the initiative. Picture: John Appleyard

Industry bosses have welcomed the amenity they say is overdue and much-needed, given drivers are obligated to take a seven-hour break after long stretches on the road.

“There’s been nowhere in the Sydney Basin for drivers to pull over and have a decent, meaningful rest,” Transport Workers Union NSW state secretary Richard Olsen said.

“I’ve been with the union for 26 years and we’ve been advocating that long for something like this. It’s good to see we are finally getting some movement.”

Many drivers have been forced to park in suburban streets to ensure they meet their break requirements.

Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara said the initiative delivers on longstanding calls to provide greater “respect and dignity” for truckies and is “something that has been requested for generations”.

The dedicated truck stop will cost taxpayers $80 million. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“This is a positive step because drivers find it difficult in Sydney to find proper rest areas,” he said.

There is currently no truck stop available for heavy vehicle drivers between Pheasants Nest on the southern outskirts of Sydney and Wyong on the central coast – a distance of 180km.

“Sydney has a reputation for being Australia’s least friendly city for truck drivers. We are changing that,” NSW Minister for Transport and Roads John Graham said.

“Truckies are the backbone of our economy and deserve a place in Sydney to rest and recharge.

“At the moment … truck drivers must make do with service stations and local roads to get a break ... (that) isn’t fair.”

A federal government spokesperson said the truck stop will be of most benefit to drivers transporting freight between Victoria and Queensland.

“Availability of adequate rest areas helps truckies to better manage fatigue and avoid incidents on the road, ultimately saving lives,” federal transport Minister Catherine King said

Originally published as ‘Finally getting some movement’: $80m plan for Sydney’s first truck-only stop