LIVES may be put at risk if next month’s planned closure of the Footscray Rd BP Service Station is not delayed, according to local truck drivers.
Concerned drivers led a convoy from the Footscray Rd service station to the Williamstown electoral office to send their message to the State Government last Friday.
If the closure of the station goes ahead, truck drivers will be forced to travel almost half an hour further to Laverton to take rest breaks after delivering or picking up goods from the Port of Melbourne.
The Footscray Rd service station, which is used as a rest and refuel stop for truck drivers who access the port, is part of a section of land recently acquired by the State Government.
A spokesperson for Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas said the land would be needed for the Dynon Port Rail Link project, which when completed would significantly improve road and rail access to the port and reduce traffic congestion on Footscray Rd.
The spokesperson said the Port of Melbourne Corporation was examining alternative facilities for trucks.
But Williamstown truck driver Paul Robinson said there had been no consultation.
Mr Robinson said the State Government had not spoken to truck drivers who used the essential site on a daily basis.
“They failed to consult us and failed to consider our needs,” he said.
Mr Robinson said truck drivers often were exhausted at the end of a shift and to travel an extra 20 to 25 minutes to a rest stop could put lives in danger.
Last week’s convoy was part of the campaign to save the station, and also included the collection of more than 1500 signatures from drivers and residents who opposed the closure.
Mr Robinson said the vocal campaign was to put pressure on key industry and State Government players.
He welcomed the release of a statement from the Transport Workers Union of Australia’s Victorian/Tasmanian branch calling for the service station to remain open “until a suitable alternative fuel source and rest area can be located and developed”.
BP media manager Chandran Vigneswaran said he had not been made aware of any move to delay the closure.
“It hasn’t been our decision to close the site; obviously the decision was made and we have to comply with that.
“We are more than happy to be involved in any discussions for alternative sites, but at this stage it will only be discussions,” Mr Vigneswaran said.
