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National Transport Reform

In February 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a number of reform measures in a range of areas including transport.

There are nine transport related reform areas identified by COAG. These were:

  1. Road and rail freight infrastructure pricing inquiry
  2. Land transport investment appraisal approaches to ensure best use of public investment
  3. Current and projected urban transport congestion
  4. National approach to economic regulation of significant infrastructure
  5. Long-term planning under AusLink, including extending AusLink planning and coordination of ports and associated shipping channels
  6. Establishing logistics chains of national importance
  7. Fuel efficiency and travel demand management issues
  8. Nationally consistent rail safety regulatory framework
  9. Harmonisation and reform of rail and road regulation.

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure on behalf of the NT Government participates in, coordinates input to and implements outcomes from this national reform agenda.  As a part of this process it consults with industry and other stakeholders.

 

Current reforms in the process of being implemented in the Territory are:

1. Heavy Vehicle Compliance and Enforcement Legislation - the introduction of this legislation is aimed at providing a system that:

  • promotes improved outcomes for road safety, the environment, road infrastructure and traffic management; and
  • reduces unfair competitive advantage. 
2. Fatigue Management
3. Intelligent Access Program – this initiative provides for improved heavy vehicle access to the road network in return for monitoring, by vehicle telematics, of their compliance with specific access conditions.
4. National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) – has been established to allow truck and bus operators to use accreditation-based systems to demonstrate high levels of compliance with regulatory requirements. Membership of different NHVAS modules will allow:
  • reduced impact of conventional enforcement in return for demonstration of high levels of compliance by alternative means; and/or
  • access to regulatory benefits (eg higher mass limits) on the basis that these benefits will not be abused.
5. Rail Safety Legislation – implementation of the model rail safety legislation will acknowledge the importance of rail safety and regulatory efficiency and will:
  • provide for the improvement of the safe carrying out of railway operations
  • provide for the management of risks associated with railway operations
  • make special provisions for the control of particular risks arising from railway operations
  • make special provision for the control of particular risks arising from railway operations
  • promote public confidence in the safety of transport of persons or freight by rail.

For a full list of the current national transport reforms visit the National Transport Commission’s website 

 

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