RoadWatch: Roundup

April 2026

Welcome to our monthly Austroads RoadWatch: Roundup for April. Discover our latest news, published reports, Guide updates, webinars and events.

Guidance that responds to global challenges

As governments look to encourage more active transport and reduce car dependency, and as citizens want practical options, there is a need for professional guidance to help people make the best choices. Austroads has compiled a list of ready-to-use resources to support walking, cycling, micromobility and public transport across Australia and New Zealand.

“Austroads’ role is to support our members with trusted evidence, shared frameworks and practical guidance,” said Dr Geoff Allan, Chief Executive of Austroads. "We have brought this material together because it is particularly relevant as agencies consider a wider range of transport options in light of global challenges. These materials provide practical guidance that can be drawn on in the current operating environment when planning and managing transport networks for all users.”

“We continue to work with our members to provide trusted evidence, shared frameworks and nationally consistent guidance that supports informed transport planning and investment decisions across Australia and New Zealand,” said Geoff.

Explore the library of Austroads’ resources on active travel, public transport, walking and cycling

New Austroads Guideline supports safer, healthier travel to school

Austroads’ new Travel to School Guideline provides practical, evidence-based guidance to help road agencies, local government and school communities support safer travel to and from school.

Improving safe and active travel options for school students is better for the student, and better for the community. Research indicates that up to a quarter of morning-peak car trips are trips to school. Empowering more students to walk, cycle or use public transport is therefore not only better for their physical health and mental wellbeing, but also helps reduce congestion across the network and relieves pressure on household budgets and fuel supplies.

“Improving travel options for children on their way to and from school is a no-brainer, but it requires systems thinking and collaboration between students and caregivers, road managers, and schools,” said Amy Naulls, Austroads Transport Network Operations Program Manager.

This Guideline recognises the complexity of the challenges faced by schools, families, and those responsible for planning and managing transport networks, and provides practical options and tools to address them.

The Guideline is supported by two Austroads research reports that informed its development.

Download the publications

• Travel to School Guideline
• Travel to School: Principles Underpinning the Guidance
• Travel to School: Best Practice and Consultation Findings

Read more 

New research sharpens the evidence base for decisions affecting people’s safety when walking

Austroads has released three publications that build on the evidence used to consider pedestrian safety, bringing together economic analysis, equity perspectives and a review of current guidance to support transport agencies and practitioners to explore patterns of risk and reflect on how existing approaches could evolve, particularly in urban environments where the most pedestrian deaths and serious injuries occur.

The publications focus on issues that are central to how pedestrian safety is considered across policy, planning, design and operation.

The Economic Assessment of Safer Speeds report examines how changes to speed limits, particularly in urban environments, can improve pedestrian safety, mobility and amenity. 

The Understanding Inequity in Pedestrian Safety Outcomes report explores how pedestrian safety outcomes vary across different population groups and locations. 

The Strengthening Key Practitioner Guidance and Methodologies report reviews existing pedestrian safety guidance and methodologies used across Australia and New Zealand. 

Read more

The publications and webinars are part of Austroads’ Keeping people safe when walking project, a long‑term research program aimed at strengthening the evidence used to address pedestrian deaths and serious injuries across Australia and New Zealand.

The project is ongoing and will continue to produce further guidance, tools and research on key aspects of pedestrian safety, including data, risk, performance monitoring and decision‑making.

Watch the expert interview videos

New Austroads guidance putting people at the centre of safer road system design

Austroads has published three new guidelines providing practical tools and methodologies to assist road agencies, industry and technology developers to apply human factors principles and support more consistent identification of the role of human factors and driver distraction in crashes across Australia and New Zealand.

The Guideline for Human Factors Integration in Road Transport emphasises the role of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) in supporting safe, usable and effective systems by examining how people interact with vehicles, infrastructure, technologies and the wider transport environment.

The Guideline for Driver Distraction Data Collection introduces a standardised approach for assessing and coding driver distraction as a potential contributing factor in crashes. It responds to variation in how driver distraction is currently defined and reported across jurisdictions by providing a common, operational approach.

The Guideline for Incorporating Human Factors in Human Machine Interface provides design guidance for in-vehicle and portable system interfaces. Drawing on established human factors principles, research evidence and industry practice, it is intended to support the development of technologies that promote safe driver interaction.

Read more

New Austroads Task Force to strengthen public and active transport outcomes

The Austroads Board has confirmed the establishment of a new Public and Active Transport Task Force, bringing together Austroads members and the Public Transport Association Australia and New Zealand (PTAANZ) to strengthen Australasian collaboration and support more integrated, safe and sustainable public and active transport outcomes across Australia and New Zealand, recognising the role these modes play in creating safe, sustainable and connected communities.

The Task Force, which will operate within Austroads’ Transport Network Operations program will promote and oversee projects that improve how public transport and active transport is planned, delivered, operated and integrated within broader transport and land-use systems. It will also serve as a coordinated forum within Austroads to strengthen alignment between public and active transport, and wider transport system priorities.

Program Manager, Amy Naulls, said “This Task Force will help Austroads provide a more complete picture of collaboration opportunities to improve transport choices for users."

Visit the Public and Active Travel page on our website for further updates on the Austroads Public and Active Transport Task Force. 

Upcoming update to Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6: Roadside Design, Safety and Barriers

Austroads is updating the Guide to Road Design Part 6: Roadside Design, Safety and Barriers (AGRD Part 6) to strengthen how roadside risk is measured and prioritised across both urban and rural networks.

A key focus is improving the Network Roadside Risk Intervention Threshold (NRRIT), which helps practitioners assess the likelihood of death or serious injury from hazards along a road and compare this to a network-wide risk threshold. Roads exceeding this threshold are flagged as higher‑risk and can be prioritised for treatment, providing a consistent, evidence‑based approach to network screening – especially valuable for local government teams managing large, diverse road networks with limited data.

The update also addresses a common challenge raised by practitioners: once a high‑risk segment is identified, how do you determine which individual hazards should be treated first? To support clearer, more consistent project‑level decisions, the research introduces the Minimum Hazard Offset (MHO) method, which extends the NRRIT approach to isolated or mixed roadside hazards. The project also reviews encroachment and Trauma Index factors using recent international datasets to ensure risk modelling reflects modern crash behaviour.

Outputs will include a research report, an updated AGRD Part 6 and a webinar. The work is being led by Transport for NSW with support from Troutbeck & Associates.

Download the Guide to Road Design Set

Carbon Reduction and the Use of Low-Carbon Concrete | Register
Thursday 23 April 2026, 1 pm AEST

This webinar will show how transport agencies can immediately reduce embodied carbon in concrete by applying new national guidance, real‑world case studies and a staged roadmap that supports safe, durable and lower‑carbon outcomes across Australia and New Zealand.

Design Principles for Adapting Roads and Infrastructure for Emerging Mobility Technologies | Register
Wednesday 29 April 2026, 1 pm AEST

This webinar will present a set of high-level design principles to support infrastructure readiness for future mobility. Join us to explore how a principles-led approach can support safer, more consistent and future-ready road and infrastructure planning across Australia and New Zealand.

Travel to School Guidelines | Register
Thursday 30 April 2026, 1 pm AEST

Register for this webinar to learn how the new Travel to School Guideline supports safe, active student travel through integrated planning, community collaboration, and practical tools backed by best‑practice evidence.

Keeping People Safe When Walking Stream 2 – Understanding Inequality in Pedestrian Safety Outcomes | Register
Thursday 7 May 2026, 1 pm AEST

This webinar will examine how safety outcomes for people walking varies by age, gender, geography and socio-economic circumstances, and the implications these varied risks present for road safety policy, planning and practice. 

Keeping People Safe When Walking Stream 2 – Economic Assessment of Safer Speeds | Register
Thursday 14 May 2026, 12 pm AEST

Join this webinar to explore the cost‑benefit analysis of safer speed limits, uncover why lower speeds offer strong pedestrian safety benefits, and learn the key drivers and evidence shaping future policy reform.

Guideline for Driver Distraction Data Collection | Register
Monday 18 May 2026, 1 pm AEST

This webinar will explain the proposed framework for Driver Distraction Data Collection, an automated framework that can be included in any electronic crash report to determine if distraction is a potential causative factor in a crash.

Keeping People Safe When Walking Stream 2 – Strengthening Key Practitioner Guidance and Methodologies | Register
Thursday 21 May 2026, 3 pm AEST

Register for this webinar to explore key opportunities to improve pedestrian safety guidance. The presenters will discuss ways to strengthen a systems-based approach to pedestrian safety planning, intervention selection, and evaluation.

Human Factors Integration in Road Transport: A New Guideline for Transport System Design and Operation | Register
Monday 25 May 2026, 1 pm AEST

Register for this webinar to learn about the new Austroads Guideline for Human Factors Integration in Road Transport, including an overview of the guideline and a case study demonstrating its application to driver distraction.

Enabling Accessible EV Charging Guidelines | Register
Tuesday 23 June 2026, 1 pm AEST

This webinar will highlight key themes from the Enabling Accessible EV Charging Guidelines, which provide guidance on improving the usability of EV charging infrastructure for people with disability.

Investigating New Performance Testing of Unbound Granular Materials | Register
Thursday 25 June 2026, 1 pm AEST

Join this webinar to learn about research into unbound granular materials, including a review of performance characterisation methods and recommended new performance tests to support future Austroads pavement design and specifications.

View recent webinar recordings

Work with us

Current vacancies

Austroads and Transport Certification Australia (TCA) employ staff across a range of specialised and technical disciplines. We pay attention to maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment, where all staff have equal access to opportunities. We encourage our staff to participate in external and internal training to make sure their skills and knowledge are continuously improved. We take inclusion and diversity seriously. We embrace difference and diversity of identity, experience and thought, and actively strive for inclusive behaviours across our company and our work.

We currently have positions open for:

• Senior Data Engineer
• Legal Counsel
• Paralegal 

View current vacancies here.

Tenders

Are you looking for an opportunity to work on an Austroads project? The following projects are open for tender:

• APT6658 Improving the Harmonisation of Austroads Technical Specifications for Pavements. Closing Monday 4 May 2026, 3 pm AEST.
• SAG6642 Comprehensive Guidance on Safe People Closing Monday 4 May 2026, 3 pm AEST.
• NEG6625 Consolidated active modes updates to the Austroads Guide to Traffic Management. Closing Tuesday 5 May 2026, 3 pm AEST.

Find out more

Upcoming industry events

IPWEA NSW State Conference, 22 - 23 April, Hunter Valley

2026 Transforming Transport Summit, 6 - 7 May, Melbourne

Truck Show X, 18 - 19 May, Hunter Valley

Mobility 2026, 27 - 28 May, Brisbane

ISC Connect, 1 – 3 June, Brisbane

Trucking Australia 2026, 3 - 5 June, Hamilton Island

Transport Conference 2026, 9 – 10 June, Cairns

ALGA National General Assembly, 23 - 25 June, Canberra