Regional Roads Group - February 2016
Technical Committee (TC) meeting was held on Friday 19 February. The meeting focused on three main points:
- The development of an introductory pack for new members
- The 2015/16 works program, and
- A workshop regarding the development of an FNQ-specific Project Prioritisation Tool.
With the LG elections in March it is perhaps opportune that the TC is in the final stages of drafting an introductory pack for new members:
- RRTG Constitution (under review),
- FNQ RRTG Works Program – Development and Management Process (under review),
- Statements of Intent (under review).
The pack will also reference:
- Roads and Transport Alliance (MoA between DTMR and LGAQ),
- Roads and Transport Alliance Introduction Nov 2015,
- Roads and Transport Alliance Operational Guidelines - Discussion Paper - January 2016,
- Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme Policy.
The amount of documentation is not as daunting as it may appear, however the TC hopes to simplify the introduction process for any new members.
It is pleasing to report that almost all 2015/16 TIDS projects have commenced and that the group has claimed in excess of 50% of the allocation. Councils have advised that they have experienced very competitive responses to their tenders and as such, savings on projects have been identified. As per last year, we anticipate having to redistribute funding to other projects prior to the end of the financial year.
Two of the fact sheets referencing transport are:
Recommended Actions - Transport:
- A National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy should be developed that identifies efficient routes from farm to market, and informs strategic infrastructure projects.
- States and territories should develop long-term plans and coordinate public and private investments to support fast-growing regional hubs to be as productive as possible.
- “The greatest opportunity for funding reform is our approach to roads. The current system of funding is unfair because those who use the network less subsidise those who use it the most; unsustainable because fuel excise will decline as vehicles become more fuel efficient; and inefficient because the absence of effective price signals results in delays and congestion”.
The Roads and Transport Alliance Project Team advise they have received the committee’s feedback on the Operational Guidelines Discussion Paper and intend to provide a document by late March.