Questions to WA Transport Minister - Rita Saffioti

Over to you

QUESTIONS TO THE MINISTER with Hon. Rita Saffioti | B Bus MLA | Minister of Transport

Our West Australian Minister for Transport has kindly agreed to answer your most pressing questions for publication in the WA Transport Magazine. Our thanks go to the Minister for her time and we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity. Please send your questions to the publisher at karen@angrychicken.com.au

Minister: Why are HVS going to allow 42m triple road trains to run on certain Great Southern roads when the roads are already breaking up and passing on coming 36.5m road trains is already risky on tight roads?

Answer: The 42 metre triple road trains in question are assessed and approved via the WA Performance Based Standards (PBS) Scheme. The WA PBS Scheme assesses a vehicle based on how well it behaves on the road, through a set of rigorous safety standards, rather than assessing the vehicle based on prescriptive dimension limits.

There are currently thirty 42 metre PBS triple road trains operating throughout WA, in the Perth Metropolitan, Goldfields- Esperance, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Mid-West Gascoyne, Pilbara and South West Regions. These road trains have been operating

since 2015 without incident.

The 42 metre PBS triple road trains do not have any increased impact on the road pavement, as the axle group mass limits are the same as prescriptive 36.5 metre road trains. The 42 metre road trains are considered more pavement friendly, as they have improved axle spacings, and due to their ability to carry more payload, reduce the number of vehicle trips required for a given transport task.

While the 42 metre PBS triple road trains are slightly longer than prescriptive 36.5 metre road trains, they have superior safety performance, particularly in terms of braking performance, rollover stability and reduced rear trailer sway.

Consideration is being given to expanding the road access for the 42 metre PBS triple road trains where the roads are assessed as being suitable, particularly with regard to road width and overtaking opportunities.