‘We need answers’: Industry pushes for live export truck diversion as Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure looms

WA’s live export industry is warning the planned closure of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge could severely disrupt freight access to Fremantle Port, with concerns mounting over trucking delays, animal welfare risks and a lack of contingency planning. The bridge is scheduled to close from February 1 for up to a year to create a higher clearance for boats travelling below, removing a key river crossing relied on by livestock, fodder and grain trucks servicing the port during tightly-timed vessel loading windows. About 24,000 vehicles pass over the 86-year-old bridge each day, with traffic set to be diverted to the nearby Stirling Bridge. Industry operators say the closure poses a material risk to live export supply chains, particularly during peak loading periods in early February, mid-March and May, when multiple cattle, sheep and feed trucks are required to operate concurrently. Some freight companies want permission to use High Productivity Freight Vehicles to and from the port to carry more containers, resulting in fewer trucks on the road, while industry has also suggested the relocation of livestock exports to Bunbury Port. Shadow transport and ports minister Steve Martin said the State Government had failed to address concerns raised by industry ahead of the closure, with agricultural stakeholders understood to have had just one meeting with the State Government. “The Labor Government is... ignoring the very real concerns of the businesses providing feed to the live animal trade that operates out of Fremantle Port,” Mr Martin said. “The Fremantle Traffic Bridge closes in less than a month and the livestock sector don’t have answers from the Minister on how they will access Fremantle Port when they need to.” Industry representatives met with Department of Transport officials in March to outline congestion risks on alternative routes, non-negotiable stevedore cut-off times and safety issues associated with trucks being delayed near the port. Operators also warned that shifting freight movements to night-time was not feasible for many southern WA trucking businesses due to fatigue risks and single-driver operating models. Macco Feeds chief executive John McDonald urged the State Government to prioritise the “real, operational risk” to the live export industry, through missed vessel windows, demurrage, animal welfare compromises, safety risk, and reputational damage. “Our business is directly involved in the live export trade by manufacturing and supplying fodder loaded onto vessels carrying sheep and cattle,” he said. “These deliveries are time-critical, regulated, and must align precisely with vessel loading windows, stevedore availability, and biosecurity requirements. “Even modest disruption to port access creates a cascade of operational, welfare, safety, and cost consequences.” In a letter penned to government ministers last month, he said industry “strongly believed” Bunbury should be made a “contingency live export port” during the closure with State Government intervention. “We strongly believe that Bunbury must be formally assessed and enabled as a contingency live export port for the duration of the Fremantle bridge closure,” Mr McDonald said. “This does not require permanent diversion of all trade, but rather a planned, approved alternative that can be activated where Fremantle access becomes unworkable. “Leaving this to ad-hoc commercial negotiations, without Government coordination or support, is unlikely to deliver a timely or workable outcome.” The Fremantle road network already experiences congestion under normal conditions, with industry representatives telling Countryman the loss of the bridge significantly increased the likelihood of missed vessel windows, vessel delays and escalating costs. Mr Martin said the situation reflected what he believed was broader opposition to live exports within the State Government, as the Federal Government pushes on with plans to ban live sheep exports by May 2028. “The Minister has her head in the sand regarding the impact the bridge closure will have on the trucking industry and the agricultural sectors it supports such as containerised grain and livestock,” he said. A spokeswoman for Minister Saffioti said the State Government had been working to ensure stakeholders were “aware and prepared” for the closure, and it understood the “importance of the agricultural and freight sectors to the WA economy”. “The Port of Fremantle’s ability to facilitate trade will not be impacted by the traffic bridge closure as road transport will be able to access the port via alternative routes. The live export trade will continue at the Port,” she said. “We know that unfortunately the bridge closure will create congestion, leading to longer travel times for people travelling in and around the Fremantle area, particularly during the morning and afternoon peaks. “Everyone will need to play their part to manage the traffic impacts. This will include the freight industry looking at ways they can minimise their movements during peak hours wherever possible.”