RESTRICTIONS on road trains accessing abattoir and feedlot facilities in the Cowaramup area are due to be lifted as early as next week according to the Augusta-Margaret River Shire.
The restricted access for vehicles over 19 metres for North Treeton road transporting cattle to the Western Meat Packers Group processing facility has been in place for two weeks.
Western Meat Packers Group chief executive officer Andrew Fuda told Farm Weekly the company were working with the Department of Main Roads and the Augusta-Margaret River Shire.
"We are working with them collaboratively and positively to develop and implement the best possible solution for industry, the company and ratepayers," Mr Fuda said.
"It had been a great result for the business.
"No truck over 19m was able to access the roads, as it had its Restricted Access Vehicles (RAV) access was removed (from the RAV network) due to an incident - we since have worked through that and the RAV will be back online."
As described by Main Roads; RAVs are vehicles that exceed a width of 2.5 metres, a height of 4.3 metres, a length of 19 metres for a vehicle combination, a length of 12.5 metres for a rigid vehicle and a gross mass of 42.5 tonnes must only operate on roads approved by Main Roads.
As livestock carriers servicing the area came under this classification, those carriers over 19m were unable to access a number of roads in the area, including; Rosa Brook, Jindong-Treeton and North Treeton roads.
To overcome the issue, livestock were transported in smaller road trains, under 19m in length.
While the road access into Western Meat Packers was impacted, Mr Fuda said business was unchanged.
In 2008 contractors worked with the Western Meat Packers to fund an upgrade of the road accessing the abattoir for $200,000, to make the road a high standard to allow road trains to access the abattoir.
"There were no animal welfare issues," Mr Fuda said.
"It just added a cost to our cattle transport.
"We just had to ask transporters to split up the loads, so this puts more trucks on the road, which was not a long-term solution.
"We are working through the requirements and should be resolved by next week."
According to Augusta-Margaret River Shire President Cr Ian Earl, a resolution to the restricted access permits had been found.
Mr Earl also said the issue of overhanging trees along those affected roads will be resolved.
"There is some tree pruning being done and we hope the restrictions are lifted as soon as next week," Mr Earl said.
"It has been a great co-operative effort by Western Meat Packers, Main Roads and the Shire to overcome the situation.
"Some of the other roads that were also caught up in it will hopefully be sorted by later today."
Mr Earl said the Semini Custom Feeds and feedlot access was also affected, as its access roads from the highway were also taken off the RAV network.
"It was a serious issue for them, but it is being resolved," Mr Earl said.