The International 9200I Eagle

The Australian Government is currently funding new and upgraded truck rest areas through its $70 million Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. The program began in 2008-09, and comes to an end in 2011-12.

Since governments are requiring truckies to take rest breaks, it’s important we provide them with places to rest. It is now obvious that the Rudd Labor Government has no intention of funding these crucial rest areas themselves.

Mr Truss originally made the rest area commitment at the 2009 Australian Trucking Convention, and repeated it at the 2010 convention on the Gold Coast in April.

The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, said the announcement recently made by Mr Robb showed the Liberal and National parties would not honour the commitment if elected later this year.

But the spokesperson for Mr Truss said the Coalition would reallocate funds within the existing roads budget to fund the new rest areas.