Re: Road Cost Recovery.

[David Penna <djpenna@one.net.au>]

Maurie Daly wrote:
> 

> The concept is good , however in reality the Govt sidesteps the excess damage
> bit by building roads which are of such design that they can take the full
> weight of the heaviest trucks, including b triples.
> Ive just had a good look at the new road road being built between Goulburn and
> Canberra , (its part of the program to duplicate the highway) and the
> construction techniques being employed are beyond belief.
> The new road is constructed of incredibly thick concrete with massive layers
> of reinforced steel running thru the concrete .

> To level the playing field,(which seems to be the buzzword these days) between
> road and rail means either
> 1/ Increasing cost recovery from the trucking industry for the true cost of
> roads. (no chance at all of this happening.)
> 2/ Improving the rail right of way to make trains more able to compete with
> the trucks. (no chance of this happening either.)
> 3/ Getting rid of completely , the idiotic track access charges that rail
> operators have to pay , and simply charge a registration fee for locomotives ,
> in the same way that trucks are charged.
> (This could be done without a great deal of angst,provided that we could get
> rid of the multipliciity of Rail Access Authorities,not impossible , but more
> likely than 1 or 2.)
> 


What about more road tolls? Or should that be toll roads?

We seem to have a mentality that tolls for urban roads are OK, because 
the improvements they bring, why doesn't the same principles apply to 
interstate roads?  Especially with axle-based charging.  (Well I guess 
the main problem is the powerful truck lobby, and of course the many 
marginal provincial seats - but in theory a toll is good)

Rail access charges are just a rail toll.  Perhaps we could see non-toll 
railtrack (your everyday, poorly maintained track) and toll-railtracks 
(where the improvement in rail conditions are made equivalent to the 
recent improvement in in road conditions on the Hume)

Just food for thought.

Perhaps the govt should get out of rail and road altogether and privatise 
everything from the Railway Tracks, to the Hume Fwy, to Hoddle St and 
Parramatta Rd to the laneway that runs behind my house.  After all, the 
market knows best doesn't it. ;->