Shire of Broome calls on Main Roads to impose conditions on Kimberley Mineral Sands’ use of Broome Road

The Shire of Broome has taken a firm stance on a Kimberley Mineral Sands proposal to transport produce from the Thunderbird mine site to the Broome Port, calling on Main Roads to impose conditions on the use of 60m road trains. Shire chief executive Sam Mastrolembo penned a letter to Main Roads WA expressing the deep-seated concerns of the local community regarding the KMS proposal, which had seen multiple protests staged over the past year. A key concern for the group is KMS’ plan to use 60m-long four-trailer trucks. The current maximum truck length allowed on Gubinge Road and Port Drive is 53.5m. The plan would see more than 40 of these trucks transport freight to the Broome Port a day. Among the conditions proposed by the Shire of Broome are measures aimed at minimising disruptions and potential hazards caused by the proposed truck movements. These include scheduling KMS truck movements to avoid peak traffic periods, especially during school drop-off and pick-up hours, as well as major community events. Additionally, the Shire is requesting that Kimberley Mineral Sands implement a complaints management system approved by both the Shire and MRWA before any vehicle movements to Broome Port begin. Shire of Broome president Desiree Male said while the Shire possessed no direct authority over the roads involved in the KMS proposal, and there exists no legislative or policy requirement for the council to assess such proposals, the Shire has taken proactive measures. “To honour the commitment made to the community by council, and after receiving advice that a council resolution is not required, the Shire has now formally provided written advice to Main Roads, KMS and Kimberley Ports Authority on the range of issues identified in the reports and by the community,” she said. “This advice includes three conditions directly related to the KMS proposal, 13 recommendations related to the road network more generally, and a formal request to KMS to undertake a traffic impact statement for ship loading activities at the port.”