THE West Gate Freeway on and off ramps will be built with or without Federal funding as the State Government moves to enforce existing truck curfews.

Roads Minister Tim Pallas verbally promised the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group the project would go ahead in a meeting last month – despite the State Government’s much-touted Truck Action Plan receiving no money in this year’s State or Federal budgets.

“Tim Pallas was adamant that this project was a priority in the transport plan and it’s going to happen – with or without Federal funding,” MTAG president Peter Knight said.

“The intention is to begin the project next year. Whether or not they have the money (now), there’s a whole lot of planning and assessments that need to be carried out. We would still be at the same stage whether they had the money or not.

“Federal funding would be great, but the project is going to be funded by the State Government if the Federal funding doesn’t come through. That’s the impression we came away with.”

The group was told the project hadn’t received any funding this year because it wasn’t “shovel ready”.

The Truck Action Plan is still in the planning stages. Factors like where the ramps would be placed and what land would be acquired have not yet been decided. Meanwhile, Williamstown MP Wade Noonan has clarified that any truck with a destination or origin west of Cemetery Rd in Brooklyn is not considered local and cannot use Francis St, Hyde St or Somerville Rd during night and weekend truck curfew times.

The curfew applies to trucks exceeding 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass and operates between 8pm and 6am Monday to Saturday and 1pm Saturday to 6am Monday.

VicRoads implemented the curfews seven years ago in a preliminary move to move traffic off residential streets.

The curfew does not apply to trucks travelling to local destinations but there has been confusion about what the term “local” involves.

The clarification means transport and logistics company Chalmers will no longer be able to use Francis St as a truck route during curfew hours.

Chalmers recently relocated its container park from the Brooklyn end of Francis St to the Yarraville end.

“There has always been a lack of clarity about the definition of ‘local trucks’,” Mr Knight said.

“It’s always been ridiculous that Chalmers’ trucks are considered ‘local’.

“The depot is only a short way from Millers Rd, they should be using the West Gate Freeway.”

But Chalmers general manager Craig Webster said the company had not been informed of the clarification and would continue to use Francis St during curfew hours unless told otherwise.

“That’s news to us,” Mr Webster said.

“We’ll worry about it when it happens. As it currently stands, we are residents of this council the same as everybody else and we have permission to use the roads like everyone else. To my knowledge, nothing’s changed.”

VicRoads yesterday held its first community information session on the Truck Action Plan and will have other sessions today, tomorrow and Friday.

For more information call 1300 130 176.