The West Gate Tunnel Project will deliver a massive win for communities in the inner west, with 24/7 truck bans to improve safety, reduce noise, and greatly improve air quality for local families.
Trucks will be banned day and night on Francis Street and Somerville Road in Yarraville, and Buckley Street and Moore Street in Footscray.
The new bans will be made possible by the West Gate Tunnel Project, which once completed in 2022 will give trucks a dedicated route to the Port and mean they no longer have to rely on local roads.
The announcement from the Victorian Government comes after consultation with the local community and directly responds to residents’ concerns about air quality, safety and amenity. It has also been working closely with the freight industry and will continue to provide the industry with support in the lead up to the bans being implemented.
The project will provide direct freeway access for trucks travelling to the Port of Melbourne through a new tunnel, moving them away from schools, homes and local communities.
In addition, the Hyde Street ramps will provide a direct connection from the West Gate Freeway to the existing fuel refineries.
The project will directly link the West Gate Freeway to the Port with twin tunnels under Yarraville, which will save truck drivers time and money by avoiding 17 sets of traffic lights and reducing vehicle wear and tear.
The project will ensure the sustainability of an industry that has operated in the area for over a century, while securing the liveability, health and safety of communities in the inner west.
The new bans, which do not include trucks with a local origin and destination, will be in place upon the opening of the West Gate Tunnel in 2022.