JIM McGIVERON REPORTS - The section of road under contention runs from the Exmouth turn-off to the old Barradale Roadhouse. As you can see from our picture there is little space between passing trucks and motorists. The leeway gets even thinner when two road trains pass.

The TWU became involved in the call for action after I received a letter from veteran long-distance truckie Rod Johnson calling for our help. Rod had raised the issue in writing with Main Roads WA alerting them to the many near misses on the highway. The road receives frequent use from trucks, caravans, buses and motor bikes.

Rod estimates the highway, which is raised in sections to avoid flooding damage, is little more than 6 metres wide. With road trains being 2.5 metres wide, PLUS MIRRORS, you don't have to be a mathematics professor to calculate the slim room for error. Surely, it is only a matter of time before we have a head on collision, with tragic consequences.

"It really is bite the steering wheel and hope for the best when you are passing some of these vehicles," industry as it is - we all want to get home to our families - but this stretch of highway really is frightening." said Rod Johnson. "Long distance driving is a tough enough the road hardened truckie told our Wheel reporter.

Main Roads has told Rod and the TWU that they share our desire to have the dangerous stretch widened. "It is one of our highest priorities," said the department's regional manager Peter Sewell. "However, Main Roads Gascoyne currently does not have funding available within the next four years to commence the works." He said.

So, as usual, it all comes down to funding. And money is getting harder to get from both state and federal governments.

But as they always say, ‘The squeaky wheel always gets the grease' and the TWU and Rod Johnson will be squeaking like a rusty windmill in a 100 year drought. And we have just engaged the help of former TWU organiser and now federal senator Glenn Sterle to do some loud squeaking in Canberra. Once a long distance furniture removalist Glenn says he knows the highway like the back of his hand and agrees it's a shocker. He'll do his best.

In the meantime Main Roads will soon commence the building of two overtaking lanes on the road. One going North and one South.

Like putting a couple of bandaids on a patient who has just had open heart surgery.