Article: Increased charges for big trucks

[ozbob]

From Sydney Morning Herald click here!

Increased charges for big trucks

Increased charges for big trucks

March 1, 2008


FAMILY budgets will be 32 cents a week worse off after federal, state and territory transport ministers approved an increase in truck charges starting next year.

The rise in transport costs is expected to be passed on to consumers by retailers and wholesalers through higher prices for almost all household consumable products, particularly food.

In recognition of the stress on family budgets and inflationary pressures in the economy, the increases will be deferred until the beginning of next year, rather than brought in in the middle of this year as planned by the former federal government.

The federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, said yesterday's move was unavoidable.

"We are concerned about an increase in costs, but ? I think that we know that road funding has to come from somewhere."

Imposing higher charges on smaller vehicles to effectively subsidise heavy vehicles was unfair and bad policy, he said.

Mr Albanese said the Government would spend an additional $70 million trialling new technology to monitor truck drivers' work hours and speed, building more heavy vehicle rest stops and upgrading freight routes to carry bigger loads.

Jessica Irvine

[mufreight]

It is a pity that the Minister would not consider increasing the national spending on rail infrastructure that could get some of the freight presently handled by road back to rail
then there would be less need to spend billions on roads, but then I also believe in the Easter Bunny.