Crane operators will be allowed to move their equipment without permits in Victoria, on particular roads in a deregulated network.

Victorian Roads Minister Terry Mulder says the state’s new network of 460 metropolitan and 240 local roads for crane operators to travel without a permit, will provide easier and better crane access throughout the state.

Victoria has a list of approved routes for B-Doubles, Higher Mass Limit vehicles, road train vehicles, controlled access buses and semi-trailers transporting containers up to 48 tonnes can use.

The new crane network is expected to be expanded to allow for two- and three-axle terrain cranes, as well as the creation of a rural crane network for regional Victoria.

Brent Stacey from the Victorian Crane Association welcomed the moves

“The association has strongly advocated for such networks throughout Victoria, and this will make the day to day job so much easier for many of our operators to get to and from work sites,” Mr Stacey said.

The changes follow a debacle earlier this year in which access permits for crane’s road travel were massively delayed/

They were held back following the introduction of a new national scheme, when responsibility for access permit application processing and other aspects of heavy vehicle regulation was moved to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

This left state governments with a massive backlog of permits to assess, and this is one measure to reduce that load.