The bus industry has expressed concern at NSW recalcitrance on unified heavy vehicle laws
August 26, 2013
The Australian bus and coach industry is calling for the uniform adoption of the Heavy Vehicle National Law in a ‘one in all in’ approach from state governments.
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC), the peak body for the bus and coach industry, issued this call in response to information that the NSW state government intends to depart from the Heavy Vehicle National Law in some key areas.
Departures in the NSW state government’s adoption relate to driving hours, enforcement of rules and accreditation of operators.
BIC Executive Director Michael Apps says these discrepancies between the NSW law and the National set of regulations would create uncertainty in the industry and inefficiencies in the system.
“We are calling on the NSW state government to provide certainty to bus operators, particularly interstate bus operators, by adopting the Heavy Vehicle National Law in full, without deviating from the agreement of all Transport Ministers at the Standing Committee of Transport and Infrastructure,” Apps says.
“The goal is national uniformity of heavy vehicle laws, that is why the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has been introduced.”
Apps says the NSW decision undermines this process.
“This is an important reform for the heavy vehicle sector and will bring significant productivity benefits to the bus industry if it is implemented correctly,” he contends.
“We are worried that deviations from the agreed law will create uncertainty in the bus industry and jeopardise this valuable initiative.”