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WA truckies hit out at ‘third world conditions’ in rest area toilets

WA truckies have raised concerns over the condition of heavy vehicle rest area toilets across the state, with veteran driver Heather Jones saying they are dealing with “third world conditions”.

Jones, who is a well-known truckie advocate and a member of the Australian government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas Steering Committee, said the toilets she passes on her trips up and down the Great Northern Highway are “absolutely disgusting” and something must be done about it.

She claimed the Main Roads facilities at the Newman Headland T, the Marble Bar parking bay and the Chitties are some of the worst, and months can pass without them being attended to.

“Someone has a contract to clean them once a week, and I can guarantee you that they’re not being cleaned for three or four months sometimes,” she said.

“I lobbied for these toilets to be installed back in 2010 and now I won’t use them because they are an abomination.

“The toilet will be full to the lid, because people have to go somewhere.

“All Main Roads needs is to get someone with a pressure cleaner and a sucker truck to empty it, but they aren’t doing it.”

Heather Jones is passionate about improving rest area facilities for truck drivers in WA. Image: Heather Jones

Truckie Janine Christine, who delivers export hay for FlexiTrans, said she regularly complains to Main Roads about the state of the toilets along her run between Wagin and Forrestfield.

She thinks the facilities at the Bedfordale Road Train Assembly Area are the main offender.

“Thankfully we don’t have to break up road trains there anymore, but the toilets are so bad, I would just hold it so I wouldn’t get a disease,” she said.

“The toilet has no seat, and one time it was apparently cleaned, but I saw some poo marks around the rim.

“I went back five months later, and the marks were still there.”

Truckies are reduced to digging a hole in the ground and bringing their own toilet paper to do their business – otherwise known as a “dug and rolly”. Image: Heather Jones

She said she’s had to squat in a bush rather than use the toilets provided.

“That’s its own hazard – you’re squatting down and trying not to be seen by other drivers, while worrying about snakes at the same time.

“When I started driving in 1993, it was much better than it is now.”

Meanwhile, truck driver Michael Jacobson shared that the toilets at Chichester Range on the Great Northern Highway were at “high tide” from at least November 2024 to January 2025.

He claimed the toilets were “disgusting and a disease risk” and hadn’t been fixed despite him making a complaint to Main Roads two months prior.

A spokesperson for Main Roads said: “Main Roads is aware of concerns raised by members of the heavy vehicle industry regarding the condition of ablution facilities at rest areas across the State.

“Maintenance of rest areas and ablution facilities is governed by the respective Main Roads region with maintenance programmed as part of Main Roads routine schedule.

“With regards to the facilities at Chichester Range, unfortunately Main Roads did not receive the complaint reportedly sent two months ago.

“Nothwithstanding, the facilities were inspected on Tuesday 7 January 2025 and pumping and cleaning of the ablutions scheduled for Friday 10 January 2025.”

The toilets at Chichester Range were at “high tide” for over two months. Image: Michael Jacobson

Main Roads said that the ablutions at this location are usually inspected and cleaned on a weekly basis, however, due to “misuse and vandalism” throughout December the toilets were blocked, requiring additional maintenance.

“While this was scheduled for December, cleaning was not completed due to a change in contractors and closure of the contract company over the Christmas period,” they added.

Jones said she is currently engaging with Main Roads on this issue and the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Steering Committee is pushing for a swipe card system to be introduced so that only truck drivers will have access to the toilets.

“Tourists can pull into service stations that we can’t – they can use those toilets, or you could install another set of toilets for tourists and see who is doing the damage,” she said.

“We live on the road as part of our home, so professional truck drivers would definitely look after the facilities.

“The government is getting millions and millions of dollars from truck drivers, from taxes on our wages, from fuel tax – we pay our fair share and we deserve to have clean, working toilets.”

Big Rigs understands that options for a swipe card/fob have previously been considered by Main Roads for the Pilbara region, but it was decided that this would not completely resolve the issues with the toilets.

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