The Fracking Inquiry estimates that a single shale gas well requires more than 3,300 one-way truck trips carting equipment, chemicals water and polluted waste water, putting high-volumes of heavy-vehicle traffic on Territory highways and putting tourists and locals at greater risk, while degrading already-strained infrastructure and maintenance budgets.  The mining industry do not contribute and are largely exempt from fuel excise.

There are examples where the community had real problems with this issue such as the iron ore mine that caused so many problems on the ROPER HWY. 

The damage to roads will be a significant issue for local government to manage.

Traffic issues will be a problem and this is likely to impact on tourism as well as the local community.  This Tourism related impact is significant, especially when coupled with the competition for accommodation and the social impacts of the “Hi Vis” culture mentioned in so many places.

If tourism and especially the self-drive market bypass, avoid or move through the area as quickly as possible, their spending in the local area will decrease, impacting on tourism and related revenues. As can be seen from the Grey nomad article, the risks of the truck movements related to fracking are a significant threat to tourism.  There are significant general road safety risk for residents as well.