Better planning, coordination and regulation
Problem
In the absence of a national strategy to date, the freight sector has suffered from inconsistent decision-making, lack of certainty and inconsistent rules across borders.
A lack of consistency in the consideration of freight in decision-making has compromised the ability of governments and industry to balance the economic benefits of moving freight efficiently with social and environmental outcomes. A lack of certainty inhibits the making of long-term investment decisions. A lack of consistent regulation across jurisdictions, such as for managing fatigue, drug and alcohol use in the rail sector, creates confusion and duplication, resulting in costs for operators.
Outcomes we want to achieve
- Improve planning for moving freight across the nation
- Improved heavy vehicle access
- Future-focused freight regulation (productivity, safety, security and sustainability)
- Planning for a resilient freight system.
These outcomes will be achieved through four priority actions.
Actions
3.1: Ensure freight demand is integrated in transport and land use planning across and between jurisdiction boundaries and freight modes
3.2: Strengthen the consideration of freight in all other government planning and decision-making
3.3: Investigate policy, planning and operational solutions to improve freight access and movement along domestic and international supply chains
3.4: Improve regulation to be more outcomes focused and risk-based to support innovation and reduce regulatory burden whilst maintaining safety, security and sustainability
Action 3.1
Ensure freight demand is integrated in transport and land use planning across and between jurisdiction boundaries and freight modes
Why we need action
Planning frameworks lack a coordinated, network approach. Failure to consider needs across jurisdictions and freight users create additional and avoidable costs to the sector, community and governments, particularly from land use conflicts.
Developing coordinated, long-term and strategic planning documents will improve coordination, practices and governance. This network approach will assist in identifying and protecting key freight corridors and developing consistent and integrated decision-making across jurisdictions and modes, improving certainty for industry and decision-makers.
Linkages: Action 3.1 focuses on transport and land use planning between and across jurisdictions. Action 3.2 focuses on improving awareness of freight impacts from ‘business-as-usual’ government decision-making. Planning and strategy development actions under Action 3.1 inform investment actions under Actions 1.1 and 1.2.
Where we want to be by 2024
To improve planning for moving freight across the nation, we aim for:
- All levels of government to have coordinated, long-term strategic freight plans, strategies and initiatives that link to the National Strategy and relevant land use and transport planning documents
- The identification and protection of current and future freight corridors and precincts from incompatible urban development
- Coordinated and integrated planning for freight across jurisdictional boundaries, particularly in regional areas.
| Between now and 2024 we will | Example actions we are taking or will take |
|---|---|
| a) Develop coordinated, long-term strategic freight plans and initiatives that are linked to the National Strategy and relevant land use and transport planning documents |
|
| b) Adopt supply chain or region-based approaches to freight planning |
|
| c) Identify and protect key freight corridors and precincts from encroachment |
|
Action 3.2
Strengthen the consideration of freight in all other government planning and decision-making
Why we need action
Access restrictions from the pressure of urban encroachment are a major constraint on the efficient movement of freight. Research undertaken by Austroads supports industry views that it is critical for governments to consider freight impacts and implications in decision-making given freight’s contribution to economic activity and community wellbeing.
Linkages: Action 3.1 focuses on transport and land use planning between and across jurisdictions, while Action 3.2 focuses on improving awareness of the impacts on freight from ‘business-as-usual’ government decision-making.
Where we want to be by 2024
To improve planning for freight productivity, sustainability and resilience, we aim for:
- All levels of Australian government to become ‘freight aware’
- Freight considerations to form part of all relevant government decision-making
- Australia’s freight network operators and users are aware of their vulnerabilities and are developing strategies to manage their climate and disaster risks.
| Between now and 2024 we will | Example actions we are taking or will take |
|---|---|
| a) Consider the impact on the efficiency of existing freight operations as well as additional freight requirements when making decisions, at all tiers of government |
|
| b) Ensure appropriate land use planning protections for existing freight related activities and sites for future freight purposes |
|
| c) Improve understanding of the optimal freight infrastructure needs around major terminals, such as ports and airports |
|
| d) Provide the information and tools needed for freight businesses to assess their vulnerability and resilience to climate and disaster risks |
|
Action 3.3
Investigate policy, planning and operational solutions to improve freight access and movement along domestic and international supply chains
Why we need action
Improving freight access, particularly across jurisdictional boundaries and access regimes, will boost use of freight-related infrastructure, and enhance network performance, critical to handling forecast freight growth.
Responsibility for planning and access to the road and rail freight network lies largely with local, state and territory governments. A lack of incentive, capability or resources to conduct timely and coordinated assessments of key road freight infrastructure reduces access on local government roads. By improving coordination, consistency and capability in decision-making for pathing and route approvals, we can optimise the use of freight infrastructure.
Where we want to be by 2024
To achieve improved freight access, we aim for:
- The length of the national road network approved for access-by-notice or as-of-right access for restricted access vehicles is increased as appropriate
- Increased consistency and predictability of access for supply chain operators, by reducing the administrative burden related to route approval processes
- Pricing and access to infrastructure encourages efficient movement of freight
- More reliable rail freight movement on mixed use networks, particularly in metropolitan areas.
| Between now and 2024 we will | Example actions we are taking or will take |
|---|---|
| a) Deliver greater harmonisation of access permit processes, including access-by- notice and as-of-right access to key freight routes for higher combination vehicles as appropriate |
|
| b) Provide support to local road managers |
|
| c) Improve freight access through metropolitan areas |
|
Action 3.4
Improve regulation to be more outcomes focused and risk-based to support innovation and reduce regulatory burden whilst maintaining safety, security and sustainability
Why we need action
Regulation that is not proportionate to risk or is overly prescriptive can be unnecessarily onerous on users of the freight system, increase costs and not achieve the intended outcome.
By developing a risk-based and outcomes-focused approach, we can decrease the regulatory burden on businesses and communities, such as the costs associated with transport of dangerous goods and biosecurity enforcement, while still achieving the regulation’s intended outcome. Such an approach will encourage competition between freight modes and encourage technological innovation whilst maintaining safety, security and sustainability.
Where we want to be by 2024
To achieve future-focused freight regulation that supports productivity, safety, security and sustainability, we aim for:
- Inefficient regulations impacting on productivity to be amended to support efficient freight supply chains and facilitate adoption of new technology
- A strengthened national laws approach for road and rail and its extension to dangerous goods
- Regulatory reform to improve the viability of coastal shipping.
| Between now and 2024 we will | Example actions we are taking or will take |
|---|---|
| a) Review and implement agreed recommendations from reviews of national transport reforms and heavy vehicle regulation |
|
| b) Review regulatory frameworks relating to freight technologies and operations to ensure they are outcomes-based and do not hinder innovation and adoption |
|
| c) Ensure border management, transport regulation, security and biosecurity regimes support freight productivity and Australia’s international competitiveness |
|
| d) Ensure environmental regulation impacting on freight operations is fit-for-purpose |
|