Press Release from Campaign For Better Transport
 
Tuesday 28th July 2009
For immediate release 20:00
 
Demand For Facts On Heavy Trucks Proposal

 
Based on statements from Radio New Zealand's Morning Report (27/7/09) programme, the Hon. Steven Joyce has been mislead into believing the Government has made all information available on allowing heavier trucks on our roads proposed by the NZ Transport Agency.
 
On yesterdays Morning Report Mr. Joyce stated nothing is being hidden and all the facts are out there. However, the Ministry of Transport is still refusing to release the MoT Productivity Report on the Heavy Trucks proposal ( from which he quotes assumed "benefits" from).
 
The CBT maintains that it is difficult to make a fully accurate submission on the Vehicle Mass and Length Rule Amendment without all the facts. At this point the CBT is asking why is the NZ Government hidding the information from concerned members of the public?
 
The New Zealand sustainable transport lobby group Campaign For Better Transport(CBT) quickly found holes in the NZ Transport Agency's (NZTA) report on State Highway bridges, which was released at the last minute, last Thursday upon request by the CBT. This includes the fact that the Auckland Harbour Bridge was not studied, many other highway bridges were not costed and no road surfaces, local roads or local bridges have been costed in the estimated $85 million required to upgrade for larger trucks. We would assume the real cost of upgrading roads and bridges will be close to a billion dollars or more. Jon Reeves from the CBT said "We doubt the trucking companies will put their hands up to pay the full cost, therefore all motorists, ratepayers and taxpayers will have to subsidise trucking businesses. Who wants to subsidise the private trucking companies when they already make huge profits over recent years?"
 
The NZTA has been forced to extend submission closure dates until the end of this week so submitters can make amendments since the release of the NZTA Highway Bridge report late last week/
 
Safety issues are paramount. According to a NZ Police January 2009 report, trucks account for 50% of road deaths on State Highway One in the South Island, yet they make up of just 14% of accidents. With heavier trucks we can expect more deaths as heavier trucks loose control on our highways. Overseas data available also show larger trucks need 25% longer stopping distance, and are more dangerous.
 
Perhaps the Productivity Report also shows figures on roading deaths involving trucks? That would be a good reason to refuse making the report public. It would also expose any false productivity data used to bolster the "benefits". Unless the MoT release the report New Zealanders should be cautious about the truck lobby the the Governments benefit claims.
ends

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