Mid West shires concerned truck movements pose safety risk and could further deteriorate Mingenew-Morawa Road

Safety concerns have been raised by two Mid West shire presidents, who claim additional trucking movements are deteriorating a road which is already in poor condition. Last month the State Government extended an interim licence approving the transportation of iron ore by road, increasing the number of trucking movements through Mid West towns. The licences were approved to give Terra Mining, which has begun operations at Extension Hill in the shire of Yalgoo, time to negotiate with commercial rail company ARC Infrastructure to transition onto rail. Mid West leaders are concerned about the condition of Mingenew-Morawa Rd, particularly with the increased heavy vehicle traffic using the road to travel to and from the Geraldton Port. Mingenew shire president Gary Cosgrove said local shires had been complaining about the Mingenew-Morawa Road for years, and the condition of some sections of the road were “quite a disgrace”. “The road is in a very poor state,” he said. “They’re narrow, they’re winding and they are undulating. “And when you’ve got big heavy trucks like those travelling that route all the time, you hate to say it but you’re just waiting for an accident to happen.” Mr Cosgrove said while heavy vehicle traffic was not helping the condition of the road, the transport company had every right to use the route. “They’re paying nearly a dollar a kilometre in fuel taxes and registration fees and whatever else and all that money goes to the State, and yet nobody brings any money back to help repair the roads,” he said. “It’s a sign of the times and if our State decides that they’re going to put all these trucks on the road, they’ve then got to spend the money on the roads to upgrade them, or find a way to put it on rail and making that work.” Morawa Shire president Karen Chappel agreed the condition of the road was poor and additional truck movements had aggravated safety concerns. “Our residents use the Morawa-Mingenew Road as their access road to Geraldton,” she said. “It’s not viewed as being a particularly safe route for our residents at the moment.” “We’re disappointed that the transport task has been given an extra 12 months but we’re encouraged that the State Government is asking the mining and transport company to commit to endeavour to get on rail as soon as possible.” A Main Roads spokesperson said 36km of the road was widened between 2005 and 2013 to improve user safety and an investigation was underway to assess options to widen further sections of the road. “Main Roads widened sections of Mingenew Morawa Road between 2005 and 2011 to improve road user safety. Further widening was completed in 2013,” the spokesperson said. “Main Roads planned for further upgrades to Mingenew-Morawa Road in 2015-2016, including two intersection realignments and preparations for an additional seven kilometres of widening. “However, land acquisition required for the widening was not supported by the local community and the Shire and therefore the works did not proceed.” Opposition Leader Shane Love said the 12 month Commercial Goods Vehicle Licence (CGVL) extension was increasing heavy traffic through Perenjori, Morawa, Mingenew and then via the Brand Highway to Geraldton, and posed a road safety risk for Mid West motorists. “The system is in place to regulate the movement of iron ore in certain areas within the Mid West, with the intention of optimising rail transport,” he said. “Extending this licence by 12 months is government dereliction of duty in terms of optimizing rail freight. “Why must local regional communities have to share these roads with road trains loaded with ore when there is a rail line available.”