Blue Mountains City Council is successfully partnering with industry, the community and the NSW Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) on a Drive Neighbourly Agreement, introduced to coincide with the recent completion of the Great Western Highway upgrade.
The Drive Neighbourly Agreement (DNA) is responding to community concerns and perceptions about the impacts of ever increasing number of heavy vehicles using the Great Western Highway, Bells Line of Road, the Darling Causeway and Hawkesbury Road.
The growth in freight transport is forecast to double on the Great Western Highway by 2031.
The Committee is looking to secure a commitment from the heavy vehicle industry and responsible agencies to enter into a voluntary Drive Neighbourly Agreement (DNA) to encourage all heavy vehicles to operate in a safe and courteous manner, for the benefit of all road users, including truck drivers.
“The Drive Neighbourly Agreement aims to promote positive driver behaviour, improve residential amenity, and improve safety for all users of state roads across the City,” said Blue Mountains Deputy Mayor, Councillor Chris Van der Kley, a member on the Committee.
“While heavy vehicles play an important role in the delivery of goods to the Blue Mountains and beyond, it is important that it is done safely and to the highest standards of driver behaviour.
“Road safety is a priority that requires the heavy vehicle industry, community and agencies to work together to achieve.”
The Committee, established in May 2015, has identified a range of priority areas, which includes education and safety for all road users, improvements to heavy vehicle rest areas, management of the road network and improvements to vehicle manufacturing.
