Unacceptable for our community and for truck drivers

⚠️ Safety Risk
The proposed heavy vehicle driver rest area is not fit for purpose and completely unsuitable. 

The plan includes a 15-bay truck stop, toilets, seating, and extensive 24/7 lighting — a hugely expensive project that would permanently alter the landscape and require ongoing public funds to maintain. 

The proposed site sits between two very busy, noisy roads and next to a railway line — far from the calm, safe environment drivers need to rest. Trucks would have to merge onto one of the state’s busiest highways via short merging lanes, creating a serious accident risk - even local truck drivers are worried about.

🌳 Community & Environmental Impact
This site would bring constant noise, bright lights, and heavy traffic, destroying Westbury’s peaceful rural character. Located on a floodplain, it would require significant fill to build, worsening drainage problems and increasing the risk of waste overflow. Raised embankments and toilets would attract free campers, rubbish, and anti-social behaviour.

Nearby homes, local businesses, and an equine-assisted learning arena — supporting vulnerable groups like autistic children, trauma survivors, and veterans — would all be negatively affected. The calm, safe environment these programs depend on would be irreversibly compromised.

✅ Better Alternatives Exist
Industrial estates nearby on Birralee Road are safer, already serviced and far from homes. Public money should be invested in a solution that truly improves driver safety and protects our community, rather than creating long-term problems for residents, businesses, and vulnerable community programs.

For the families affected and the wider Westbury community, this feels like David vs. Goliath. We’ve tried repeatedly to meet with Minister Kerry Vincent to raise our concerns — but so far, we’ve gotten nowhere. 

Our community deserves to be heard. This isn’t just about a few properties — it’s about protecting the safety, peace, and character of Westbury for everyone who lives, works, and drives through our town, and raising awareness for others who might face a similar situation.

📢 What You Can Do
Sign the petition!
Contact Kerry Vincent, Minister for Infrastructure & Transport.
Share your concerns with friends and neighbours.

This proposal is still in the planning phases and threatens our homes and the wider Westbury community.

Please help us push the Tasmanian Government to reconsider and choose a safer, more suitable location that truly protects drivers, residents, and the environment. Your voice can make a difference — stand with us today.