The Ministry of Transport has issued its annual report, claiming
better quality regulation as a key pillar of its performance for the
2012-2013 year.
The report, notes the work the ministry has
undertaken under the Vehicle Licensing Reform, Agricultural Vehicle
Reform and the Road User charges system.
For the VLR, the ministry notes the costs the new system is forecast to save.
“The
Vehicle Licensing Reform project identified opportunities to reduce the
regulatory burden and compliance costs of four vehicle licensing
systems, while ensuring ongoing safety,” the report says. “The joint
Ministry and NZ Transport Agency project team recommended changes to the
warrant of fitness, certificate of fitness, annual vehicle licensing
and transport services licensing systems. Changes to the warrant of
fitness system are estimated to result in net benefits to motorists and
businesses of $1.8 billion over 30 years.”
It says its new RUC system should encourage the industry to be more efficient.
“The
amendments made to the Road User Charges Act 2012 are the most
significant change to the road user charges system since it was
introduced more than three decades ago,” the report says. “The new
system should encourage operators to make efficient choices in terms of
the vehicles they purchase and the way they use them, reducing harm and
environmental risk.
“The new system will also reduce
opportunities for evasion, ensuring that operators are not able to gain
an unfair advantage over competitors by paying less RUC than they
should,” it explains. “It will also enable simpler administration,
reducing transactional and compliance costs for users and the
government.”
It also notes the resulting cost savings from changes to agricultural vehicle rules.
“The
Amendment Rules maintain road safety while reducing compliance costs
for the agricultural sector in the key areas of work-time compliance,
warrant of fitness testing and miscellaneous costs, and driver licensing
costs. It is estimated that these changes will result in a net benefit
to the sector of $51 million over 25 years.”
Chief executive Martin Matthews says the MoT has been focussing on how the whole transport system operates.
“We
have worked to establish a better picture of how freight moves around
New Zealand,” Matthews says in the report. “We have started to develop a
strategy for improving New Zealand’s vehicle fleet, and we commenced a
project to ‘map’ the entire transport system.
“The Ministry plays
a critical role in the transport system, and the transport system is
vital to New Zealand’s success, economically and socially,” he adds.
“Transport is inextricably linked to the government’s priority for
economic growth and productivity, and its Business Growth Agenda.
“In
the last year, we have delivered regulatory reform that progresses the
government’s policy of better regulation,” he explains. “For example,
cabinet approved our recommendations to introduce changes to the warrant
of fitness, certificate of fitness, annual vehicle licensing and
transport services licensing systems that will save New Zealanders $1.8
billion over the next 30 years.
“Our agricultural vehicle
reforms will benefit the agriculture sector by creating a two-tier
approach to warrants of fitness, and simplifying the rules around the
use of agricultural vehicles,” he notes. “These reforms save the sector
$51 million over the next 25 years and promote a safe, commonsense
approach to regulation for the agriculture sector.”
Matthews says
while too many people are still dying on our roads, the road toll has
decreased from 384 road deaths in 2009, to 308 in 2012.
The report can be viewed here:
http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/About/Documents/Annual-Report-2012-13.pdf
