Assessing road travel conditions in the Bowen Basin Region: Implications for transport planning in Australian mining communities

Effective road transport networks are essential for sustainability of mining activities as well as the liveability of the mining communities. This paper examines the mining impacts of road travel conditions in the Bowen Basin region, which produces about 83% of Queensland’s total coal product. A household travel survey was conducted to explore mining communities’ level of satisfaction with road travel experiences, through a case study of the Moranbah and Emerald townships. The pavement condition of regional roads was the primary issue raised by residents, followed by concerns about safety and congestion issues associated with over-dimensional vehicles, and perceptions of poor driver behaviour, particularly around speed, inattention and fatigue. The research identified support for confining the movement of wide loads to low-traffic periods (such as overnight), and introducing carpooling arrangements to reduce congestion and issues of driver fatigue. These findings have policy implications for all tiers of government as well as mining industries, with respect to future transport planning.