NHVR stakeholder specialist Tim Hanson the main aim of the day was to bring together the road owners and the people who run the businesses that keep the economy growing.

"We really want to share information. So, it might be fixing a particular piece of infrastructure, a road, a bridge or opening up road networks for more efficient freight combinations, so we can get safer, more modern trucks that actually use less truck trips to deliver the same amount of freight," he said.

Those council representatives present spoke about what local government had done, and industry members talked about some of the combinations they would like to use. Forum speakers from specialist agencies introduced everyone to changes already being introduced by the industry itself that could lead to a future with less trucks on the roads. 

ALSO READ: 

"We regularly see transport companies making that investment in new gear, and I guess at the end of the day everyone will rotate their fleet sometime," Mr Hanson said.

"When it comes to replacing those vehicles, do you get a new version on ones you had 10 or 20 years ago, or do you get newer designs to deliver more efficiency for the same amount of output?"

"Some of these newer combinations are safer and more productive trucks, but they only deliver the dividends that they can if they can get the access from the people who own the roads."

Mr Hanson said platforms for future improvements to transport networks to cater for larger and heavier combinations of trucks needed to be laid down now. He said information provided at the forum could lead to council's reviewing their networks. 

"From today, we'll get a dedicated list of priorities from councils. In a workshop session we're going to take away feedback from industry," he said.

The forum was opened by Armidale council mayor Simon Murray said heavy vehicle access should be across the shires.

"These days, with cattle and hay movements, it's all going to be done with large trucks whether they be large semis of B-doubles so we should be aiming to provide access across the council area, and that includes roads and bridges," Cr Murray said.

"Both political parties have promised a significant amount of funding to fix up roads and bridges. I think you will find, particularly up in the Tablelands where there are a lot of streams and rivers, there are a lot of wooden bridges that do need urgent replacement.

"Councils up here are putting load limits on them or speed limits on them, or both. They are an impediment to heavy vehicle movement, and they should be addressed immediately."