Charging motorists more to use roads could help pay for better transport systems, the government says. Photo: Eddie Jim
Australians need to be weaned off a culture of cheap transport and accept they will have to pay more to use roads if they want less congestion, the chief executive of Australia's biggest road company says.
"Everyone gets the concept of user pays, until you have to pay," Transurban chief executive Scott Charlton said after the release of a national infrastructure audit.
As well as developing fair transport charging systems to "get the community on side", governments needed to start having more "mature conversations" with the public, he added.
"Sometimes it's hard for politicians to come and say, 'Yes, we want to talk about user pays'."
Infrastructure Australia, an independent statutory body, has called for "a broader system of transport pricing" for roads and public transport ahead of a 15-year Australian Infrastructure Plan later this year.
The audit describes Australia's system of paying for land transport, which relies heavily on government funding and fuel taxes, as "deeply flawed", suggesting governments needed to consider directly charging users.
Transurban, which operates most tollroads on the east coast, is testing road pricing models in a private study in Melbourne, including charges based on distances travelled.
About 1200 drivers will test different models starting in September, with Transurban hoping the results of the study will "progress the discussion" on road pricing. "Technology is not the issue. It's policy," Mr Charlton said. More open
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Jamie Briggs said state governments were becoming more open to the idea of user charges.
"The states realise there is a challenge of funding and there is a challenge of delivery, so they are interested in looking at innovation and the funding model," Mr Briggs said.
Governments have been wary of introducing congestion charges and higher toll fares because of concerns over a voter backlash.
The new $1.6 billion Perth Freight Link, which is scheduled to start construction in 2016 and open in 2019, will be the first motorway in Australia to use GPS technology to track trucks using the tollroad.
All trucks heavier than 4.5 tonnes will pay a charge every time they use all or part of the motorway, with the West Australian government expected to require all vehicles over a certain weight to be fitted with GPS systems.
South Australia was considering similar systems as it expanded Adelaide's North-South Corridor, Mr Briggs said.
Garry Bowditch, executive director of the University of Wollongong's SMART infrastructure group, said drivers needed to be guaranteed better services, such as minimum travel speeds, if they were hit with charges to access roads. Service outcome
"User charges must be for a service outcome. Without that it's just a tax," Mr Bowditch said.
Freight transport groups have acknowledged that they will face higher user charges in the next decade, but they want governments to carefully consider the implications of introducing monitoring systems.
"We don't want too much of a big brother aspect," said Neil Murphy, chief executive of the South Australian Freight Council. "Do you have to track my truck?"
While constant monitoring of trucks could help improve safety, it could also lead to higher fines for truck drivers if GPS monitoring finds they accidentally shorten required break periods by a few seconds, Mr Murphy said.
Christopher Melham, chief executive of the Australian Trucking Association, said the group welcomed the audit's finding that governments should focus on policy reform.
"For the first time we've seen an inquiry recommend a broader system of transport pricing, rather than specifically targeting the heavy-vehicle industry as the methodology for funding the increase in infrastructure demand.
"They're recognising there will have to be, in some cases, a community service obligation."
But Mr Melham cautioned that it would take time to establish pricing systems using "on-board telematics".
"The technology itself is not foolproof. It drops in and out," he said
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