NSW OPENS UP MORE OF ROAD NETWORK TO B-TRIPLES

NSW opens up more of road network to B-triples

New South Wales is opening up more its network to high productivity vehicles, with the announcement B-triples will have access to the Newell Highway from Narrabri to Goondiwindi.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay says modular B-triple configurations up to 35m will operate under the same conditions as Type 1 road trains as part of national heavy vehicle reforms.

Operators wanting to gain access will need to enrol in the Intelligent Access Program (IAP), fit road friendly suspension and achieve the maintenance module qualification under the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS).

Just like road trains, the B-triples will be limited to 90km/h.

"Under this reform transport operators travelling from far western NSW, say on the Kamilaroi Highway, will now be able to access the Newell at Narrabri to use the 225km stretch of highway to Goondiwindi, and then beyond," Gay says.

Modular B-triples are expected to start using the Newell Highway between Narrabri and Goondiwindi from late August, subject to permit approval.

"The introduction of modular B-triples on the northern section of the Newell will assist in linking key supply chains such as grain, cotton, livestock and farm and mining equipment with the Port of Brisbane and other parts of western, central and southern Queensland," Gay says.

He says B-triples will provide a safer and more efficient way of carrying freight and reduce the wear and tear on roads by cutting down the number of trucks needed to haul goods.

He say a semi-trailer operating at a higher mass limit (HML) takes about 37 trips to transport 1,000 tonnes of freight, whereas for the same tonnage a modular B-triple operating at HML only requires about 17 trips.