NEWS
ATA DISCUSSES HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW REVIEW The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has confirmed that its Safety Committee and Transport and Economics Committee has held discussions regarding the first issues paper from the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) review. The issues paper seeks views on how to help make the law outcome focussed and less prescriptive, while ensuring safety and promoting productivity. ATA CEO Ben Maguire says industry could not afford to underestimate the impact of the review and legislation likely to follow. “Today’s meeting saw committee members work closely together on developing our submission,” Mr. Maguire says. “Members discussed how the structure of the HVNL could be radically changed to make the law more responsive, so it
can deal with evolving technology and the diverse nature of our industry.” Mr. Maguire says valuable contributions at the meeting were made from SA Road Transport Association’s Steve Shearer, Queensland Trucking Association’s Gary Mahon, Victorian Transport Association’s Greg Cain, NT Road Transport Association’s Louise Bilato and National Transport Insurance’s Adam Gibson. “Members agreed on the need to retain the primary duties in Chapter 1A of the HVNL and its current approach to executive officer liability,” Mr. Maguire says. “The meeting is a prime example of how our members are working together in the best interests of the industry and collaborating to deliver positive outcomes. I thank them all for their contribution and expertise.”
ATA CEO Ben Maguire.
NEW SPECIFICATION TESTING FOR MODIFIED BINDERS Austroads has announced updated specification testing for polymer and crumb rubber modified binders in sprayed seal and asphalt. Updated specs include adding a definition for field-produced crumb rubber modified binders.
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ROADS JULY 2019
According to a spokesperson for Austroads, modified binders are used by material processing companies to enhance the performance of binders on heavily trafficked
or distressed pavement surfaces. “The test method has been revised following a review of current modified binder manufacturing, testing and application experience,” the spokesperson says. “Specification limits are framed around the results of nationally coordinated field trials and laboratory studies, supplemented by Austroads jurisdiction experience.” Changes include: • Adding an alternative Standards Australia method for determination of viscosity at 165˚C. • Adding a stress ratio binder property. • Removing the consistency and elastic recovery binder properties. • Replacing the rubber content by analysis binder property for the class S45R binder with a stipulation that this binder class be manufactured from crumb rubber derived from used vehicle tyres. • Adding a definition for field-produced crumb rubber modified binders. “These specifications aim to achieve satisfactory design performance in the field for both sprayed seal surfacing and asphalt pavement applications,” the spokesperson says.
