Community and industry approve a compromise plan for livestock transporters
Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads says it is looking into a compromise plan to allow type-two road trains into the town limits of Roma overnight.
Currently, only Type 1 road trains are permitted on roads accessing the Roma Saleyards, with longer vehicles forced to breakdown combinations at a makeshift pad six kilometres to the west.
Transport operators, along with the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association have been agitating for change, saying the Butchers Hill breakdown pad poses significant risks to drivers.
One driver was killed in April while recoupling a trailer at the makeshift site.
The department hosted a community consultation session on May 14, which considered a proposal for longer vehicles to have access to roads connecting to the Roma Saleyards between 7pm and 5.30am daily.
The proposal would cover trucks carrying livestock only, and has been deliberately scheduled to keep heavy vehicles away from a school zone en-route to the saleyards.
“At present, the route from the breakdown pad through Roma to the saleyards is designated for Type 1 road trains only,” a department spokesperson says.
“Following on from feedback received and the general acceptance of the proposal by industry and the community, we are now looking into the issue.”