No truck zones in Melbournes inner west

No-truck zones FAQs

Frequently asked questions for no-truck zones in the inner west.

No-truck zones general information

What are no-truck zones?

As part of the West Gate Tunnel Project, the no-truck zones have been introduced on key residential streets in the inner west:

Moore Street Footscray: between Ballarat Road and Hopkins Street (full length).
Buckley Street Footscray: between Geelong Road and McNab Avenue – continuing along Napier Street from McNab Avenue to Whitehall Street.
Somerville Road Yarraville: between Geelong Road and Whitehall Street.
Francis Street Yarraville: between Roberts Street and Hyde Street.
Hudsons Road Spotswood: between Melbourne Road and Raleigh Street.
Blackshaws Rd Altona North: between Crofts Reserve entry and Melbourne Road
Williamstown Road: between Geelong Street and the West Gate Freeway (8pm to 6am weekdays and at all times on weekends)

Garbage trucks, tow trucks and emergency vehicles are still able to travel in these zones. You’ll also still see smaller trucks, such as those used for grocery or parcel deliveries and removalists.

Some other trucks may still travel in a no-truck zone if travelling to or from an approved place, such as their registered parking area (garaged address).

How do they work?

Roadside cameras are monitoring trucks along the no-truck zones, collecting information to enable the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to enforce the rules.

Exemptions apply so that trucks with origins and destinations within the no-truck zones can complete essential deliveries such as groceries and parcels. This ensures that local businesses and residents can continue to receive and supply goods.

Trucks heading to the port or empty container parks are no longer permitted in designated no-truck zones.

Instead, they have access to a second river crossing with direct connections to the port, as well as new ramps at Hyde Street in Yarraville for trucks unable to use the tunnel.

We're working with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to ensure a fair and consistent approach to enforcing these new rules.

How much is the fine?

The penalty for failing to obey a no-truck zone is three units, $610.53.

Where do I find out more about no-truck zones?

Visit Transport Victoria’s no-truck zones webpage.

What key benefits does the West Gate Tunnel deliver for freight?

As well as safer and dedicated routes to port, the West Gate Tunnel Project is designed to create less truck traffic on the West Gate Bridge, providing direct freeway links to/from the port, bypassing up to 17 sets of traffic lights – keeping heavy vehicles moving and not idling at intersections.

Along with the tunnel, upgrades to the West Gate Freeway are also providing time savings on key routes meaning less wear-and-tear on heavy vehicles compared to alternative routes.

Trucks also have access to convenient routes west to Laverton and north to the airport via CityLink and the Monash Freeway.

Additional benefits include:

Dedicated routes for placarded loads/dangerous goods.
Time savings up to 13 mins from the west to the port.
New technology to help freeway merging
Purpose-built roads and ramps for heavy loads
12 lanes, up from eight lanes on West Gate Freeway
24/7 incident response and upgraded intersections designed for truck turning circles.

What key benefits does the West Gate Tunnel deliver for the community?

Benefits to the community include:

A vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge
Thousands of trucks off local streets in the inner west
Reduced travel times to and from the west
Improved freeway connections
Safer local roads
Improved reliability on the West Gate Freeway
New public spaces, including a veloway for cyclists
Better noise walls

What is banned? What is exempt?

What types of trucks are banned, and what exemptions apply?

Large trucks, including container trucks, can no longer use the roads declared as no-truck zones.

They must use the tunnel and/or alternative allowed routes to reach their destination.

These types of heavy vehicles are still permitted in no-truck zones:

buses
two-axle rigid trucks that are not transporting a shipping container
tow truck
concrete truck
waste disposal truck
Motor homes, emergency, police vehicles and tow trucks can also enter a no-truck zone.

For restricted access Class 1, 2 & 3 heavy vehicles, including Special Purpose Vehicles: Refer to the National Network Maps (NNM) on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) website to check the available network and approval status for your vehicle type.

Trucks that have an origin or destination within the no-truck zone are only allowed to enter for one of these purposes:

a delivery to or from a place within a no-truck zone
performing construction or maintenance work within a no-truck zone
vehicle repairs or sales within a no-truck zone
driving to or from a garaged address within a no-truck zone

For journey exemptions, there is an online process on the No-truck zone travel check page to notify NHVR of your travel and provide proof of exemption. You must complete this process within 48 hours (before or after) of completing your exempt journey.

You will need to select from the journey type that reflects your reason to travel in a no-truck zone. By clicking on the drop-down journey type, it will then provide you with a link to an email prompt that goes to the NHVR.

How do I find out if my vehicle can travel in a no-truck zone?

Use the No-Truck Zone Travel Check tool on the Transport Victoria website to check your exemption status.

For general access heavy vehicles: Refer to the no-truck zones exemptions above. You can only enter a no-truck zone for one of the listed purposes or vehicle types.

For restricted access Class 1, 2 & 3 heavy vehicles, including Special Purpose Vehicles: Refer to the National Network Maps on the NHVR’s website to check the available network and approval status for your vehicle type.

I’ve driven my vehicle in a no-truck zone. Am I going to get a fine? What do I need to do?

Exemptions apply for certain vehicles and journeys, as outlined above.

If your travel does not meet the exemption criteria, NHVR will follow standard compliance processes, which may include enforcement action.

We're working with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to ensure a fair and consistent approach to enforcing these new rules.

Can my business apply for an exemption?

There is no need to apply for an exemption if you have an exempt vehicle, as listed above.

If your vehicle type is not allowed in no-truck zones, you may still have an exemption based on your journey type.

Apart from these exemptions, if your business works with trucks that are not permitted in the no-truck zones, they must take alternative routes.

For more details on the rules and regulations for the no-truck zones, go to Victorian Legislation website.

Enforcement of no-truck zones

How are the no-truck zones being enforced?

New roadside cameras are monitoring no-truck zones. The cameras are helping the NHVR with enforcement as they can:

accurately detect the type of truck in real time
instantly categorise the truck type and provide the NHVR with the information to support enforcement action

Registered owners of non-exempt trucks identified in no-truck zones will be responsible for any fines the NHVR issues.

How does enforcement distinguish trucks starting or ending their journey within a no-truck zone for delivery purposes?

If the NHVR detects a truck not allowed on a no-truck zone road, it will issue a fine to the vehicle’s registered owner.

While the roadside cameras can detect the types of vehicles in the no-truck zone, they cannot tell us the reason for your journey.

Where required, there are also additional opportunities to have infringements reviewed.

What is the process for vehicle owners to appeal a fine?

If you receive an infringement and believe you had a valid reason to travel based on exemptions, you can apply for a review by the NHVR. The infringement notice will include details on how to apply for a review.

You can also find information about how to request a review of an infringement notice by going to the website at: nhvr.gov.au/law-policies/prosecutions/requesting-a-review

Some exemptions apply to trucks with local origins and destinations, ensuring that local businesses and households can continue to receive and supply goods.

However, if the business is outside of a no-truck zone, trucks must use alternative routes.

Do trucks still get fined if they are directed to detour onto a no-truck zone?

NHVR takes road disruptions into account when reviewing compliance in no-truck zones.

Traffic concerns

Why is Williamstown Road only a night-time and weekend no-truck zone?

Williamstown Road is only a no-truck zone during night-time and weekends to keep freight moving while also ensuring community safety and amenity.

Why not introduce a curfew or no-truck zone on Millers Road as well?

Some trucks continue to use Millers Road to access the West Gate Freeway.

The West Gate Tunnel Project has completed significant upgrades of the Millers Road and West Gate Freeway interchange, including new turning lanes, reconstructed and realigned ramps, new and improved noise walls and upgraded pedestrian crossings.

We expect there to be an increase in the number of trucks using Millers Road and Grieve Parade with the tunnel opening, however, we expect these volumes to be manageable and spread across the network.

There will be traffic monitoring for up to two years after the West Gate Tunnel Project opens.

Did existing truck curfews change when the West Gate Tunnel opened?

No-truck zones have replaced existing curfews n those streets, putting in place 24/7 restrictions.

A small industrial section of Hyde Street south of Francis Street has had its curfew lifted to ensure oversize and placarded loads have a safe and direct route to and from the Port of Melbourne as well as to local industry.

The 24/7 truck ban on Hyde Street north of Francis Street remains in place. This continues to be enforced with $203.51 on-the-spot fines.

With the tunnel now open, trucks have access to new roads, tunnels, and ramps, including new purpose-built ramps for oversize and placarded loads on Hyde Street, Spotswood.

I live on a street within a no-truck zone - why am I still seeing some large heavy-vehicles travel on my street?

Some large trucks with a valid exemption or permit are still able to travel in a no-truck zone to do business or carry essential items.

For example, this includes trucks which have a garaged-address or an origin/destination that exists within a no-truck zone.

Can fuel tankers still use Francis Street?

Fuel tankers and other large trucks are not permitted to drive along Francis Street's no-truck zone to access the Mobil Terminal on the corner of Francis Street and Hyde Street.

They now need to navigate around the no-truck zones. Curfews have been lifted on Hyde Street so that large trucks can access the ramps and fuel depot.

How will the no-truck zones help with truck congestion?

The no-truck zones do not just move trucks from one area to another - congestion will be lessened on no-truck zone roads.

The no-truck zones mean large trucks must use the West Gate Tunnel, roads or Hyde Street ramps to get to the Port of Melbourne instead of cutting through local roads.

Thousands of trucks are expected to start using the West Gate Tunnel, meaning they travel under the inner west instead of through the local streets and roads.

What tolls do I have to pay for using the West Gate Tunnel and West Gate Freeway?

Tolls are now being charged as the West Gate Tunnel Project is now open.

All heavy and long vehicles pay a single toll to use the upgraded West Gate Freeway, new Hyde Street ramps, new tunnels and connections to the port and city. The heavy vehicle toll point is located on the West Gate Freeway between Williamstown Road and Millers Road.

Go to the Linkt website for up-to-date toll prices specific to your vehicle type.