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Posted by Allen Newton
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8 January, 2026
THE FREIGHT and transport industry has been warned that if it doesn’t take steps to minimise congestion to and from the Port of Fremantle during the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure from 1 February, the state government will step in.
While plans have been developed for two years around the bridge closure the first the transport industry got to hear about potential limits on containerised road freight was at a hastily called meeting just before Christmas on 15 December.
At that meeting, government representatives tabled a policy to restrict “laden container trucks” from using the Stirling Highway Bridge during the morning peak, and possibly the afternoon peak, a course of action that raised the ire of industry representatives.
Following a series of email exchanges between Director General Transport, Peter Woronzow and chair of the recently formed Fremantle Bridge Closure Freight Industry Group, the government appears to have revised its stance to a watch and act, although Mr Woronzow denies these plans had not been set in stone.
A second bone of contention is the government’s refusal to allow a trial of Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFV) with loaded 40/40 combinations to and from the port.
Industry believes they could significantly reduce the number of individual truck trips by carrying the same freight in fewer vehicle movements.
Mr Park said fewer truck trips would mean less congestion, lower emissions, and improved road safety during a period of heightened traffic pressure.
“Rightly, the government is proud of the percentage of container freight moved to and from the Port of Fremantle by rail. It is the largest percentage in Australia. Additionally, industry is committed to working with the major rail operator to take up additional train capacity when it comes on stream,” Mr Park said.
“However, HPFV access could be designed to not impact on the rail market share, yet deliver significant productivity, safety and environmental performance wins by reducing truck traffic by at least 25% or more.
“That’s an outcome that shouldn’t be ignored by government when we are all faced with pressures to operate efficiently during the period of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure.”
Major freight and transport industry groups including Freight & Trade Alliance (FTS), Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) and the Western Roads Federation (WRF) convened a second meeting to outline practical, industry-led solutions to keep traffic and essential goods moving to and from the Port of Fremantle.
The industry group comprised representatives from container terminals, road and rail transport operators, empty container parks, exporters, shipping lines and freight forwarders to discuss the implications of the closure, which will redirect a large volume of road freight traffic onto the Stirling Bridge and surrounding road network.
FTA’s head of business operations, John Park, was nominated to chair the industry group and reiterated that: “It is up to industry to find solutions that lessen likely impacts of congestion on freight costs and delays.
“Big infrastructure changes like this don’t just impact trucks, they impact commuters, local businesses and supply chains. Without sensible planning, congestion will increase across the network.”
The Group has urged the WA Government not to restrict truck access to the port to ease traffic congestion during daily peak periods.
“That would simply push congestion to other hours of the day and cause an unacceptable spike to freight operating costs.
“What we have heard loud and clear from the government is that they expect the freight industry to find solutions themselves, including more night and weekend operations, as well as further utilisation of rail capacity.”
Industry participants discussed a range of practical measures aimed at reducing truck movements during peak periods, including greater use of night-time and off-peak deliveries, where possible and appropriate; increased use of rail when additional capacity is available; and improved coordination between terminals, road transport operators, rail operators, empty container parks and customers to smooth freight flows.
The Industry group is continuing to assess other operational and cost impacts, and how these could affect the WA economy.
