Victorian Transport Association (VTA) Chief Executive Philip Lovel has been appointed a board member of the Australian Road Forum (ARF)
Victorian Transport Association (VTA) Chief Executive Philip Lovel has been appointed a board member of the Australian Road Forum (ARF) for 2008.
The ARF was launched in 2005 as Australia’s new national peak body for stakeholders in the road transport sector. Membership identifies participants as the principal players in Australia’s road system; the VTA has been a member since its inception.
Lovel has represented the freight and logistics industry for over 20 years and holds many senior positions on industry and government bodies.
Upon joining the ARF board Lovel said: “I’m very pleased to be joining the ARF Board. The ARF aims to advance the efficiency, development and national priority of Australia’s road transport system and I feel I have much to contribute.”
Lovel also joined the policy sub-committee of the ARF. The ARF’s current policy priorities include infrastructure funding based on a bi-partisan assessment of national needs, with long-term planning and financial commitment on a sustainable basis which transcends year to year budget cycles.
“There is a critical need to provide new infrastructure for the freight industry to meet growth over the next 20 years, and the planning needs to be done in a coordinated manner for the entire country,” he says.
“During 2007 the VTA worked with Sir Rod Eddington on the East-West Study in 2007, we contributed to the Channel Deepening Study, and we have influenced many other planning decisions in Melbourne and Victoria.
“We would like to see the national B-triple network expanded to include more Victorian roads. However, we are not Victoria-centric; there are many inconsistencies between states that need to be resolved. The road network needs funding and support for continuing economic growth and, more importantly, public safety.”