The Federal Government’s decision to abandon a proposal to reduce default speed limits on unsigned rural roads has drawn praise from the peak body for livestock transporters, the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association or ALRTA to give it it’s acronym
ALRTA has welcomed the Government’s decision which it says came following overwhelming public feedback.
The proposal, developed under the National Road Safety Action Plan, reportedly received more than 11,000 submissions, with strong opposition from rural communities, industry and everyday road users.
ALRTA president Gerard Johnson said the decision is “common sense prevailing” after a deeply flawed concept failed to address the real drivers of road safety.
“This was never a road safety solution, it was a distraction from the real issue,” Johnson said.
“We thank the Government for listening to regional Australians. Scrapping this proposal is simply common sense.”
Johnson said the focus must now shift toward meaningful investment in rural road infrastructure, rather than measures that add complexity for drivers without improving safety outcomes.
The president highlighted the commencement of works on the $500 million Beef Roads program in Queensland as a positive example of the type of investment that actually delivers safety and productivity benefits.
“We are already seeing works start on the $500 million Beef Roads project in Queensland,” Johnson said.
“This is exactly what rural Australia needs, real, on-the-ground investment that makes roads safer, stronger and more reliable.”
“Better roads save lives, better roads reduce crashes, better roads improve productivity and speed-limit changes do none of these things without the infrastructure to support them,” Johnson added.
\Johnson said ALRTA looks forward to working with all levels of government to progress practical, evidence-based safety measures that address the true causes of serious incidents on rural roads — including chronic under-maintenance, deteriorating pavement conditions, and limited funding for regional renewal.
“The Beef Roads program shows the way forward,” he said.
“If we want safer roads, we need to invest in them. That’s how you get real safety outcomes.”
ALRTA says it represents the interests of rural road freight operators across all states and territories, advocating for safety, productivity and sustainability across Australia’s agricultural supply chains.
