The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) has condemned the Federal Government’s proposal to reduce default speed limits in rural areas.
The Department of Infrastructure’s Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) suggests that lowering the speed limits of sealed and unsealed roads outside built-up areas from 100km/h to 80-70km/h will increase safety and reduce road toll.
The government department is insisting that travelling at up to 100km/h on these roads “may not be safe” and “will increase the risk of crashes, death and serious injuries”.
Therefore, it is vouching that reducing speed limits will help prevent the tragedy of accidents, injuries and deaths.
However, the ALRTA argues that this will harm productivity, compromise animal welfare and “disguise the real issue – chronic under-investment in rural roads”.
“For regional operators, speed limits directly shape fatigue management, delivery windows and daily productivity,” said ALRTA Executive Director, Anthony Boyle.
“Even a modest reduction of seven km/h equates to an additional 45-60 minutes on a typical full-day run – enough to push drivers into mandated rest breaks or late-night driving under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.”
According to Boyle, this will result in more time spent resting in unsuitable metropolitan zones, greater fatigue exposure during high-risk dusk/night hours and increased costs and scheduling disruption with “no measurable safety gain”.
He claimed that this will in turn significantly affect transporters and livestock animals.
“In real terms, a driver moving livestock from Dubbo to Melbourne or Brisbane could lose almost an hour in transit, eroding valuable time for unloading and returning to regional rest areas,” Boyle said.
“For livestock transporters, an extra hour on the road carries serious welfare implications. Exposure to sub-zero overnight cold can cause chilling stress, while 40°C daytime heat rapidly increases dehydration risk.”
“The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock (2012) require journeys to be planned to minimise exposure to extreme weather and ensure contingency arrangements for affected stock.
“The RSPCA also directs transporters to take reasonable steps to reduce the impact of heat or cold during transport, while Agriculture Victoria advises that if maximum time off water is likely to be exceeded, stock must be spelled or journeys rescheduled.
“An additional hour, particularly in peak summer or winter conditions, is not just a cost to business – it is a genuine animal welfare risk.”
The ALRTA believes reducing default open road speed limits won’t do anything to fix what it feels is the underlying cause of rural road trauma – poor road condition and underfunded maintenance.
“Rural operators already face deteriorating pavements, narrow shoulders and limited overtaking lanes,” Boyle said.
“Instead of slowing down the very operators keeping regional Australia supplied, governments should be investing in practical safety improvements [such as] sealed shoulders and improved drainage, better line marking and more overtaking opportunities.
“These measures deliver genuine safety outcomes without undermining productivity or welfare.”
The ALRTA is urging governments to:
- retain the current 100km/h sealed road default and avoid a new unsealed road national limit;
- focus on engineering upgrades and local risk management; and
- measure success by reduced fatigue incidents linked to improved road surfaces.
“Lowering default speed limits is not a safety strategy; it’s a budget substitute for not fixing the roads,” Boyle said.
“If policymakers want safer outcomes, they must fund the infrastructure, not punish the operators who depend on it.
“If they cancel live export, then they must support rural businesses to transition properly.”
In other news, ARTSA-i’s latest heavy vehicle market report has shown a considerable decline in new registrations.
