MALLEE road users are urgently calling on the state government to fund major improvements to the region's highways to help the network cope with the massive influx of truck traffic when Viterra ceases using rail transport in the area on August 1.
Viterra was the sole user of the Pinnaroo to Tailem Bend and Tookyerta to Tailem Bend lines - operated by Genesee & Wyoming Australia - but have identified road transport as the "most efficient and cost-effective" option.
About 3000 B-double trucks will be required to move the region's grain to port, with the extra traffic expected to be spread between the Sturt, Karoonda and Mallee Highways.
The additional demand is likely to be picked up by local contractors already engaged to move smaller portions of the grain harvest between sites.
GPSA deputy chair Wade Dabinett, Parilla, said obtaining necessary funding to improve road conditions was vital.
"From a GPSA perspective, our focus needs to be on developing a policy on road improvement in the Mallee," he said.
"We're getting a group of people together to have a look at what is required in terms of spending on the road.
"I think the opportunity is now - if we're not going to get funding for the Mallee Highway now that the railway is going to close, you're probably never going to get it.
"We need to work out what grain transport system we want in 10 or 20 years' time and work towards that."
A frequent user of the Mallee Highway, Mr Dabinett said a lack of suitable locations for overtaking was a major problem.
"The biggest issue is overtaking," he said. "It doesn't matter what sort of road user you are, whether you're transporting grain or spuds or in a car, you need somewhere to overtake, and with increased traffic on the road, that's going to be one of the biggest issues from a safety perspective."
With heavy vehicle traffic on Mallee arterial roads already high - especially with an increasing number of farmers bypassing smaller silos to deliver to Tailem Bend at harvest - and set to increase, road conditions are likely to deteriorate at a faster rate, requiring increased expenditure on road improvements in the coming years.
Last year, the state government announced a $2.3 million upgrade of the Karoonda Highway between Karoonda and Kulde including shoulder sealing and surface correction. Sections of the Mallee Highway near Tailem Bend, Sherlock and Parilla were also identified for resurfacing as part of a $2.8m project in the Fleurieu, Riverland and Mallee.
In reiterating Viterra's reassurances that the move from rail to road will have no impact on grower services at Mallee receival sites, Viterra group commercial manager Andrew Hannon said the company put extensive effort into determining the most cost-effective solution of transporting grain.
"We spent 24 months working on what the future may hold for the Mallee region as far as rail or road - whether the combination of the two services was the best outcome, and how we work through that," Mr Hannon said.
"We worked closely with GWA, we extended the agreement for 12 months last year, and that gave Viterra, GWA and the state government time to fully assess what the opportunities were in reference to road or rail in that region."