With the Fremantle Traffic Bridge set to close from 1 February 2026, major freight and transport industry groups have united to warn of significant impacts to goods transport at the Port of Fremantle.
The Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA), Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) and the Western Roads Federation (WRF) have convened a Freight Industry Group, comprising representatives from container terminals, road and rail transport operators, empty container parks, exporters, shipping lines and freight forwarders, to discuss the implications of the closure, and to outline practical, industry-led solutions to keep freight moving to and from the Port of Fremantle.
The Fremantle Bridge closure will place increased pressure on already constrained infrastructure, particularly during peak commuter periods, affecting not only freight movements but the broader community, the Group said.
Particularly, the closure will redirect a large volume of road freight traffic onto the Stirling Bridge and surrounding road network, the Group says.
The Industry Group was convened following a meeting called by the WA Department of Transport & Major Infrastructure (DTMI) on 15 December 2025, at which it was flagged that the Government was considering the possibility of restricting loaded container trucks from using the Stirling Bridge and nearby freight routes during morning and/or afternoon peak periods.
The Group met for the first time on 7 January. Prior to its meeting, the Director General of Transport at DTMI wrote to the Industry Group stating: “(The) Government has made no decision to restrict freight movements and has asked Main Roads and DTMI to monitor movement on the network after the bridge closure.
“They may reconsider their position if issues emerge arising from not taking opportunities to boost rail use and industry not seeking opportunities in road operations … to avoid congestion during peak periods.”
FTA’s Head of Business Operations, John Park, who was invited to chair the Industry Group, said: “Big infrastructure changes like this don’t just impact trucks, they impact commuters, local businesses and supply chains. Without sensible planning, congestion will increase across the network.”
The Group has urged the WA Government not to restrict truck access to the Port to ease traffic congestion during daily peak periods.
“That would simply push congestion to other hours of the day and cause an unacceptable spike to freight operating costs,” John Park said.
“What we have heard loud and clear from the Government is that they expect the freight industry to find solutions themselves, including more night and weekend operations, as well as further utilisation of rail capacity.”
Industry participants discussed a range of practical measures aimed at reducing truck movements during peak periods, including:
- Greater use of night-time and off-peak deliveries, where possible and appropriate.
- Increased use of rail when additional capacity is available.
- Improved coordination between terminals, road transport operators, rail operators, empty container parks and customers to smooth freight flows.
Industry stakeholders also reiterated its continued advocacy for Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFVs) to and from the Port with loaded 40’/40’ container configurations.
As a result, the Industry Group has resolved to develop further robust advice to Government about the use of HPFVs to move loaded 40/40 combinations to/from the Port on defined access routes that don’t compete directly with rail market share.
The Group says such a move has the potential to reduce truck trips from between 25 to 50 per cent depending on the access allowed.
While the use of HPFVs hasn’t been approved by the Government, industry believes they could significantly reduce the number of individual truck trips by carrying the same freight in fewer vehicle movements.
Fewer truck trips would mean less congestion, lower emissions, and improved road safety during a period of heightened traffic pressure, the Group said.
“Rightly, the Government is proud of the percentage of container freight moved to/from the Port of Fremantle by rail … it is the largest percentage in Australia,” John Park said.
“Additionally, Industry is committed to working with the major rail operator to take up additional train capacity when it comes on stream.
“However, HPFV access could be designed to not impact on the rail market share, yet deliver significant productivity, safety and environmental performance wins by reducing truck traffic by at least 25 per cent or more.
“That’s an outcome that shouldn’t be ignored by Government when we are all faced with pressures to operate efficiently during the period of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure.”
A long-standing policy of the WA Government has been not to allow loaded 40’/40’ container combinations out of the Port of Fremantle, supposedly to “protect” the rail freight share.
In his response ahead of the Freight Industry Group meeting, the DG Transport at DTMI said: “The Government’s position on HPFV’s is unchanged and a trial of HPFV’s will not be contemplated.”
“Government has invested heavily in rail, resulting in Western Australia achieving the highest proportion on freight on rail than any other Australian Capital City.
“In 2024/25 the average proportion of freight on rail was 23.5 per cent. Between July and October 2025, the average proportion of freight on rail at Fremantle was 28 per cent.”
Notwithstanding, the view of the majority of the Freight Industry Group is that the targeted use of HPFVs could reduce significantly the number of individual truck trips by carrying the same freight in fewer vehicle movements.
The FTA, CTAA and WRF also emphasised that freight efficiency at locations such as the Port of Fremantle underpins Western Australia’s economy, while congestion, delays and uncertainty ultimately increase costs and reduce reliability across the supply chain.
“Industry is not waiting for problems to emerge,” John Park said.
“We are united, prepared to work together, and offering solutions that can help manage the impacts of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure for the benefit of the entire community.”
The Freight Industry Group said it will continue to assess other operational and cost impacts, and how these could affect the WA economy.
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