Following a barrage of constituent complaints, Mr Humphries called together the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) representatives, local transporters, Police and industry representatives to clarify cotton transport regulations.

“Every year during cotton picking, the issue crops up again - cotton modules en route from farm to gin being fined for having loads too wide,” he says.

The confusion lies with the interpretation of the rules, rather than the rules themselves.

“You have truck drivers, police and RTA representatives each interpreting a set of very confusing, ambiguous and sometimes contradicting rules and each party thinks they were doing the right thing,” Mr Humphries says.

“Cotton module transporting guidelines are one of the industry’s longest running ‘grey areas’.

"The RTA has now acknowledged the need to simplify regulations and exemption notices.”

Mr Humphries says RTA representatives, Ann King, Director of Licensing, Freight and Regulation and Phil Standen, Western RTA Director also agreed to reconsider exemptions for positioning of work lights on chain bed semi-trailers that exceed the 2.5metre width restriction.

“Every harvest there is always numerous cross border issues which the RTA have now resolved to look into," he says.

One difficulty is transporting oversized modules on flat beds or semi-trailers between NSW and Queensland.

“Carriers are calling for State to State consistency. In Queensland wide load signage allows for oversized modules, yet in NSW there is no such tolerance.

“NSW needs to adopt the tolerance that Queensland has, this will make life a lot easier for transporters, police and regulators.”

Mr Humphries has continually called on the NSW Government to change legislation, allowing NSW to come into line with Queensland.

He says confusion also lies with the legal legitimacy of the RTA best practice requirements when it came to the loading of cotton and wool bales, another factor the RTA said they would look into.

“I must commend all attendees on an extremely proactive and positive meeting and I believe the industry and RTA can now go forward together.

Cotton Australia’s James Houlahan agrees it was a successful meeting and long overdue.

"We eagerly await further advice from the RTA on all the issues discussed,” Mr Houlahan says.