National Road Carriers Association

Hello Government and councils – let’s talk

By David Aitken, CEO of National Road Carriers Association

David Aitken

MY COLUMN IN MAY WAS AN “OPEN LETTER” TO

Government and local government authorities to consider road freight in their decisionmaking. But I feel compelled to say it again because, if anything, the situation seems to be getting worse.

The concerns of the road freight industry are not being heard – and we’ve noticed that if authorities don’t like what we say, doors are being closed. That’s bad news for New Zealand Inc. and our communities because when we’re not part of road and street planning the chances are goods delivery gets harder, and therefore more expensive.

Two examples – one of how we can offer practical help, and one of doors being closed:

NIGHT FREIGHT DELIVERIES COULD SOLVE TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Auckland Transport’s Access for Everyone (A4E) proposed roading layout changes to Queen Street – including lane closures or restrictions and reduced delivery vehicle parking – will undoubtedly make freight and courier deliveries to downtown retail and office businesses more difficult.

However, if businesses received their freight deliveries at night, it could help resolve the problem. The transport industry is keen to deliver outside normal business hours – when there’s less commuter traffic – because this makes delivery trips faster and less stressful for drivers.

Retailers and distribution centres have not yet opened up to the idea of receiving night deliveries, but we are working with Auckland Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore and Heart of the City to promote the idea that couriers and freight companies can be trusted to access buildings so they can make deliveries, without staff of the receiving company being on site. This is common practice in other places around the world.

Faster night deliveries on less-congested roads would reduce freight costs – and those savings could potentially be passed on to consumers. Faster deliveries also use less fuel and thereby reduce carbon emissions.

If the freight industry is at the table for all discussions involving roads and transport, we can propose solutions to problems. Our industry is full of practical and innovative people who can suggest new ways of doing things that can be gamechangers.

WAKA KOTAHI NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY REMOVES DUTY TO CONSULT FREIGHT SECTOR

National Road Carriers is right behind the Road Transport Forum’s (RTF) opposition to a rule change by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency which removes the agency’s duty to consult the freight sector when setting road speed limits.

With 93% of freight in NZ moved by trucks, the industry must have a say on what happens on the roads. We can’t be locked out because the Government doesn’t like what we say.

RTF has submitted on this rule change that suggests an independent speed management committee take responsibility for speed setting, with no opportunity for direct submissions or specific freight industry consultation. We think that is inadequate and the current consultation process should remain.

Speed setting is a coarse approach to safety management and is the low-cost option when measured against network improvements. The Government’s reluctance to invest in longterm roading infrastructure to improve and futureproof the network is a concern.

We believe our industry has valuable input into discussions about roads in NZ and we do not want to be removed from those discussions.

It seems blindingly obvious that the transport of goods should be factored into transport and infrastructure plans but, from our perspective in the road transport industry, whenever there has been talk about transport recently, there has been little consideration of freight.

Our plea to transport authorities is to talk to the road freight industry. We are Kiwis who want to see NZ flourish. We operate at the coalface of transport and we are open-minded. T&D