The Victorian government is trialing greater livestock truck access to Melbourne’s major tunnels, partnering with Transurban and the freight industry to allow the heavy vehicles to enter Citylink tunnels for a 12-month trial in 2025.

Livestock trucks had previously been banned from the Burnley and Domain tunnels due to low-clearance infrastructure, but recent upgrades to raise it to a safe height mean the trucks can enter the tunnels with no risk to animals on-board.

The trial is expected to remove 600 trucks from city streets each week, with City Road, Power Street, Olympic Boulevard and Hoddle Street likely to see the biggest benefits.

“The trial is a win-win for our city and our freight industry,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne says.

“By taking livestock trucks off inner-city streets and into the tunnels we’re improving road safety while also keeping our freight sector moving.”

Additional signage and road markings will be added to arterial roads to support the trial.

This trial is the latest in a string of moves by the state government to reduce the number of trucks on Melbourne’s roads, including the recent addition of 29 hectares of land to Port of Melbourne’s lease.

Transurban Group Executive Australian Markets Nicole Green says the raising of the tunnel clearance to allow livestock trucks into Citylink tunnels has helped allow the change to happen.

“Road safety is paramount for Transurban,” Green says.

“We’ve been making changes to our tunnel infrastructure in recent years and this, coupled with modernisation of vehicles transporting livestock, has made using the tunnels a viable option.”

No set date for the trial’s early-2025 commencement has been announced.