Austroads' monthly newsletter
RoadWatch: Roundup
January 2019
Welcome to Austroads RoadWatch: Roundup for January. This is our monthly newsletter which includes links to our latest reports, webinars and Guide updates.
TCA acquired by Austroads
Transport Certification Australia Ltd (TCA) has advised stakeholders it has been acquired by Austroads Ltd.
Neil Scales, Chair of Austroads and Director of TCA, said “I am pleased to advise that Transport Certification Australia Ltd has been acquired by Austroads Ltd. This will enable a better use of resources and expertise from both businesses into the future.”
The decision for TCA to be owned by Austroads was made by the Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) following a review of national transport bodies in 2018.
TCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Chris Koniditsiotis, said “It is important to emphasise that the decision made by Council for TCA to be owned by
Austroads does not change TCA’s role and function. Nor does it change TCA’s accountability to manage an open technology market on behalf of Australia’s road transport agencies and regulators, to support a growing number of applications for light and heavy vehicles with different levels of assurance.”
Austroads’ Chief Executive, Nick Koukoulas, said “The ownership of TCA will bring a number of synergies and efficiencies to both businesses and will help accelerate a number of projects underway.”
Improving driver licensing for Indigenous road users
Austroads has released a report outlining proposals to mitigate barriers to driver licence ownership and retention by Indigenous and other road users.
Lack of appropriate access to driver licensing services is a barrier to employment, economic participation and access to government and non-government services by Indigenous people and other road user groups.
The study examined the impact of social and economic disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians in relation to transport access, transport related contact with the justice system and road trauma.
The publication presents a summary of the views of jurisdictions expressed at an Indigenous Licensing Forum and a review of the literature relating to driver licence acquisition and maintenance by Indigenous communities.
Join us for a webinar on Wednesday 27 February 2019, 1pm AEDT for an overview of this study by the report author Paul Rajan. No charge but registration essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.
Safe System in the Guide to Traffic Management
Austroads will soon update seven Parts of the Guide to Traffic Management (AGTM) following a Safe System review.
The publication of the seven updated editions will address the priority gaps identified in the review and presents an opportunity to better integrate Safe System into traffic engineering and management activities.
The Austroads report Embedding Safe System in the Guide to Traffic Management details the outcomes of the review.
The project considered the outcomes of more than 20 recent research reports to develop the new and revised Guide content.
Join us for a webinar on Thursday 7 February 2019, 1pm AEDT for an overview of this study by the report authors Paul Durdin and Dave Smith. No charge but registration essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.
Research confirms benefits of passing lanes
Austroads has published a report that provides guidance in the development of passing lane installation projects by examining their impacts on safety, journey time and user experience.
Passing lanes are provided to break up traffic platoons and improve traffic flow over a section of road. They provide an overtaking opportunity and are sometimes the only practical chance for overtaking to occur.
This Austroads project was designed to establish the benefits associated with passing lanes to provide guidance to practitioners.
Join us for a webinar on Tuesday 5 March 2019, 1pm AEDT for an overview of this study by the report author Ian Espada. No charge but registration essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.
New guidelines for the provision of heavy vehicle rest areas
Austroads has released guidelines to help road managers assess the need and prioritisation for heavy vehicle rest areas (HVRAs) and help road managers plan for and design HVRAs as part of their planning activities.
Heavy vehicle drivers are often required to work for long hours and are therefore susceptible to fatigue. The guidelines recognise that managing heavy vehicle fatigue is a shared responsibility between road managers, heavy vehicle drivers and operators, and clients.
Road managers are responsible for providing HVRAs which can help drivers manage fatigue and comply with driving hours regulations, by providing an opportunity for sleep and rest breaks. These Guidelines are intended to assist with this aspect by helping road managers plan for an environment which supports heavy vehicle drivers to rest before they re-commence driving.
Join us for a webinar on Thursday 14 February 2019, 1pm AEDT for an overview of this study by the report author David Green and Mandi Mees. No charge but registration essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.
Australasian road safety barrier accreditation scheme
The Australasian Road Safety Barrier Accreditation Scheme Steering Committee has released an update on their work to establish a national scheme to ensure the people who design, install, and maintain road safety barriers on Australia and New Zealand’s road network are appropriately trained.
Austroads has partnered with Lantra (UK) to develop a national accreditation scheme that will require the certification of all people engaged in the design, installation, and maintenance of any road safety barrier system used in New Zealand or Australia.
Five training courses have been identified for this scheme:
- Operative course
- Installer course
- Lead Installer course
- Inspector course
- Designer course
Trends in Australian motorcycle related crash and injury risk
Monash University’s Accident Research Centre has published a report that characterises motorcycle-related road trauma. This report identifies factors affecting crash risk and injury outcomes for motorcyclists related to motorcycle type and other attributes including engine capacity and power to weight ratio. The goal of the report is to guide effective safety interventions and future research in motorcycle crashes. Suggested countermeasures include addressing motorcyclist conspicuity and vulnerability, reduced speed limits where appropriate in higher speed zones and remote areas, licensing and speed enforcement, vehicle safety technologies and motorcyclist focused road infrastructure improvements.
CPEE Enrolments are now open
New applications and re-enrolments into CPEE's award online programs are now open. The options on offer are:
- CPEE Master of pavement Technology
- CPEE Graduate certificate in Pavement Technology
- UTas and CPEE Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Professional Honours in Road Engineering and Construction)
- UTas and CPEE Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Professional Honours in Infrastructure Asset Management)
Courses are very practical and encourage direct application of the skills and knowledge acquired. With most of the unis incorporating the latest revised Austroads Guides, each of the CPEE programs provide up to date technical content.
Enrol up to 18 February for Semester 1 (start on 25 February 2019)
Latest BITRE resources
Road Deaths Australia—Monthly Bulletins
This bulletin contains current counts and summaries of road crash deaths and fatal road crashes in Australia. It is produced monthly and published on BITRE's website on or around the 14th of each month. Data are sourced from the road traffic or police authorities in each jurisdiction.
Upcoming conferences
Tunnel Operations & Maintenance, Sydney, 20-21 February 2019
Engineering NZ Transportation Group Conference 2019, Wellington, 3-6 March 2019
International Street Lighting + Smart Controls Conference, Sydney, 2-4 April 2019
Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference, Melbourne, 1-2 May 2019
Mobility as a Service | MaaS 2019, Melbourne, 2 May 2019
IPWEA Public Works Conference, Melbourne, 9-10 May 2019
National Electronic Tolling and Charging Worldwide Conference, Brisbane, 4-6 June 2019
Queensland Transport Infrastructure Conference, Brisbane, 18-19 June 2019
National Traffic & Transport Conference, Adelaide, 30 July-2 August 2019
AAPA International Flexible Pavements Conference, Sydney, 18-21 August 2019
LGA Roads and Works Conference, Renmark, 14-16 August 2019
7th Australian ITS Summit, Melbourne, 28-29 August 2019
Australasian Road Safety Conference, Adelaide, 25-27 September 2019
NEW PIARC World Road Congress, Abu Dhabi, 6-10 October 2019
ITS World Congress, Singapore, 21-25 October 2019
ITS Asia Pacific Forum, Brisbane, 25-28 May 2020
