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17 November 2000
ATC Meeting in Launceston, TasmaniaCommonwealth, State and Territory Transport Ministers met in Launceston, Tasmania today as the Australian Transport Council (ATC). The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Commonwealth Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Honourable John Anderson MP and was hosted by the Tasmanian Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, the Honourable Paul Lennon MHA. In its deliberations, ATC considered a number of issues of national transport interest and reached the following outcomes. NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGYMinisters today launched the National Road Safety Strategy 2001-2010 at the Summerdale Primary School in front of 700 primary school children. The target of the Strategy is to reduce the fatality rate on Australias roads by 40% over the coming decade. Achieving this target would save about 3,600 lives by 2010. By the completion of the implementation of the strategy around 700 lives will be saved each year. To meet the target will require strenuous effort by all parties involved in road safety and Ministers acknowledge and ask for the continuing support of road users and user groups, the media, police, health care providers, schools, local government, vehicle builders, employers and the wider community. Ministers also released the National Road Safety Action Plan for 2001 and 2002. This is the first in a series of two-year Action Plans to support the Strategy with measures available for States and Territories to select from to achieve the target. The target is to be achieved by Governments and other parties by:
Ministers were delighted to launch the Strategy at the Summerdale school, to help reinforce the road safety message with an enthusiastic and receptive audience representative of the road users of the future. Ministers noted that the National Road Safety Strategy also contributed to practical reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and asked that officials encourage positive improvements and monitor ATSI in road safety accordance with the recent COAG decision. NATIONAL TRANSPORT SECRETARIATMinisters were pleased to note the progress by the National Transport Secretariat (NTS) in commencing analysis of the major issues that it had been asked to look at by the council. The NTS was now fully staffed and operational and the funding provided by all jurisdictions was achieving results. Ministers noted that work was continuing on three major projects: An Improved Transport Planning Process; Improving the Strategic Freight Corridors of Australia; and Transport Contribution to Regional Australia. ATC is looking forward to more definitive reports in May 2001. On the advice from the National Transport Secretariat, Ministers agreed to trial a model to assess the effectiveness and development of transport improvements in regional locations throughout Australia. The approach offers a simple practical technique to enable regional centres to study their transport systems and develop improvements. The process is similar to that followed in the "SE 2020 Transport Strategy" applied to the population centre in Mt Gambier in SA. NATIONAL FREIGHT LOGISTICSWith freight logistics becoming an increasingly important part of the transport sector and the focus of considerable attention, Ministers agreed to a national action program to progress the issue. Priority areas agreed by Ministers for inclusion in the action program include:
Ministers agreed that the Action Program would be progressed by the Integrated Logistics Network, in consultation with the National Transport Secretariat and the Standing Committee on Transport. STEVEDORING LEVYMinister Anderson requested that jurisdictions provide submissions in relation to the application of the Stevedoring Levy and undertook to report back to the next meeting of ATC. NEVDISMinisters restated their commitment to connect to the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS) as soon as possible. NEVDIS is a key part of the road transport reform process, both in terms of increasing safety and efficiency. Some of the key benefits of NEVDIS are:
COLLISION RISK AT LEVEL CROSSINGS FITTED WITH PASSIVE PROTECTION SIGNSMinisters considered a proposal by the Hon Murray Criddle seeking a nationally consistent best practice approach to reducing the risk of collisions between trains and motor vehicles at level crossings equipped with passive protection signs. Ministers accepted Minister Criddles recommendation that the Australian Rail Operations Unit (AROU) further research and analyse this issue. This will involve consultation with industry, the ATSB and relevant State authorities. SCOOTERS AND OTHER RECREATIONAL ISSUESMinisters noted a paper on the safety and regulation of scooters submitted by the Hon Carl Scully, New South Wales Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads. Ministers expressed a shared concern with the safety of scooters and their use and endorsed a proposal by the Hon Murray Criddle, Western Australian Minister for Transport, to review the issues involved in consultation with other jurisdictions and relevant bodies, including input from Victoria on motorised scooters. NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT COMMISSIONMinisters noted the progress made on implementing road transport reforms from the initial Reform Modules and the first and second Heavy Vehicle Reform Packages. By mid 2001, 29 of the 31 reforms will have been implemented on a national basis. NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT COMMISSION: STRATEGIC PLAN, WORK PROGRAM AND 2001/02 BUDGETNRTC in consultation with SCOT will advise Ministers at their next ATC meeting on a sound formula for annual adjustment to heavy vehicle charges. This would address the question of whether a single zone could be established for charges which reflect different operating conditions, including those of the remote areas. Ministers agreed that the NRTCs three year Strategic Plan would include provision for a third heavy vehicle charges determination and that increased effort should be devoted to maintenance and monitoring. Subject to these decisions, Ministers endorsed the National Road Transport Commissions 2001/02 budget and apportionment of contributions between the jurisdictions. Ministers noted the Motor Vehicle Environment Committees Action Plan. CODES OF PRACTICE FOR OPERATIONAL UNIFORMITY ON THE INTERSTATE RAIL NETWORKMinisters agreed to finalise the first three volumes of the Code at their next meeting. In the meantime the Code will be made available for rail organisations to commence developing implementation and training strategies. NATIONAL COMPETITION POLICY ASSESSMENT OF ROAD TRANSPORT REFORMMinisters agreed to submit a report defining six road transport reforms as assessable under the National Competition Council (NCC) process to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and, subject to COAG agreement, to the NCC. NATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE BLIND TRAVEL PASSMinisters endorsed the implementation national reciprocal arrangements for use of the Blind Travel Pass in all States and Territories from 1 January 2001, including the introduction of a uniform card. These arrangements will entitle all holders of the Blind Travel Pass to all benefits that would normally apply to residents of the host jurisdiction thereby providing opportunities for enhancing the mobility of vision impaired persons. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FUEL CELL BUS TRIALMinisters noted the significant environmental, economic and national interest benefits likely to result from a proposed trial of fuel cell buses in Perth to commence early in 2001, with the first buses to operate in late 2002. Ministers agreed to formally support the project to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment. The trial will entail 3 fuel cell buses, operating as part of the Transperth public transport bus fleet during the period of the trial which will run for at least two years. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF e-TRANSPORTIn noting the report on the implementation of e-transport, the National Strategy for Intelligent Transport Systems, Ministers were pleased with the progress being made in this important area. NEXT MEETINGMinisters agreed to hold the next meeting of the ATC in Darwin on 25 May 2001. MEMBERS ATTENDING THE ATCChair: The Hon John Anderson MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services Host: the Honourable Paul Lennon MHA, Deputy Premier and Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
OBSERVER:
ALSO ATTENDING:
APOLOGIES:
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Last Updated: 9 June, 2005 |
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