What we’re doing

The scope of the Wheatbelt Secondary Freight Network (WSFN) Program is to upgrade local roads that play a key role in the movement of primarily agricultural freight in the Wheatbelt Region of Western Australia.  Agricultural and primary industry products transported along the road network from producer to strategic receival point/port includes grain, livestock, oilseed, seafood, dairy, wool, horticulture, and mineral sands.  The Secondary Freight Network in the Wheatbelt region comprises some 4,400km of Local Government roads.

The Program is based on a corridor approach to be delivered on an annual rolling program until the identified routes within the network are upgraded. 

Along key freight routes within the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia the outcomes being sought from the WSFN are to:

  • improve road infrastructure assets suitable to accommodate increased heavy vehicle numbers.
  • increase freight efficiency and productivity.
  • reduce vehicle operating costs and
  • improve road safety.

This will result in lower freight input costs to agricultural production to assist in increasing Australia’s international competitiveness in agricultural markets.  Improving the efficiency, safety and productivity along with supply chains is central to Australia’s ability to compete in the international markets and to compete with imports into the domestic market.  Government support for this vital sector is important particularly to improve the freight supply chains.

While the focus is on providing better connections between agricultural regions and ports to assist the agricultural sector, the program will also improve access for tourism, mining and other sectors.  The program will assist in delivering both social, economic and employment benefits for the regional communities in the agricultural areas.

According to the road safety statistics collated by the Western Australian Road Safety Commission, the Killed and Serious Injury (KSI) rate within the Wheatbelt Region of Western Australia is nearly double the rate of any other region within the State.  By upgrading the roads along these routes, safety of the roads will be increased as the geometry of the roads will be improved and through the increase in the size of vehicles used for the freight, the number of trucks on the road will be reduced.  These factors will result in an improvement in the KSI rate for the Region.

Works will be planned on a rolling program basis to address identified deficiencies and will include activities such as:

  • road widening
  • road rehabilitation
  • road realignment
  • shoulder sealing
  • overtaking lanes
  • road train assembly parking bays
  • bridge replacement

 

Key Benefits

The key benefits of the program are:

  • Improved freight productivity and access to freight gateways
  • Improved efficiency and network reliability
  • Improved road safety for all road users

There is a need to continue upgrading roads within the Wheatbelt Secondary Freight Network.