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Policy drivers for Queensland roads: RACQ perspectives

Explore RACQ's advocacy for better roads, policy objectives, climate change impact, and innovative solutions for a sustainable road network in Queensland.

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Policy drivers for Queensland roads: RACQ perspectives

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  1. Policy drivers for Queensland roads:RACQ perspectives Presentation to Roads Australia Forum 30 September 2008 Michael Roth Executive Manager Public Policy

  2. Royal Automobile Club of Queensland • Founded in 1905 by 12 members to advocate for better roads • RACQ remains a mutual association with services for the benefit of 1.2 million members • Advocacy - Technical - Touring - Travel • Financial - Insurance - Member benefits • National and international linkages with AAA and FIA • Conduit between Roads Australia and private road users

  3. The need for new policies • Disconnect between current trends and our desired future • 1990’s – planning focus • 2000’s – delivery focus • Challenge is to get the policies right before the next cycle • Discussion needs to involve all stakeholders – including community

  4. RACQ Policy Objectives • Ease of mobility for road users • Safer drivers, vehicles and roads • Protection of the natural and built environment • Security of energy supplies for road transport • Fair and justifiable costs of road use

  5. Road Network – Positive Outcomes • Important assets for economic and social well being • Connect people with places, goods and services • Cities are growing because they facilitate economic exchanges – a well functioning road network is a key component • Need to move beyond debate of roads v rail or cars v public transport • RACQ’s long-term vision of a safe, sustainable, integrated and resilient transport system

  6. Road Network – Negative Externalities • Economic – congestion; crashes; access; cost • Social – crashes; amenity; isolation • Environmental - greenhouse emissions; air, noise and water pollution; habitat destruction • Multiple complex interactions so difficult and unwise to focus on just one

  7. Greenhouse emissions by sector

  8. AAA Climate Change objectives • Reduce and offset members’ emissions • Sustainable mobility for all • Minimise the emissions from our businesses • Work with government and industry

  9. Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme • Greenhouse emissions proportional to fuel use • Fuel excise will be adjusted down to compensate for 3 years – so no impact • Crude oil price increase since 2003 equivalent to ~$250/t CO2-e • QT modelling suggests maximum impact of 5% demand reduction • RACQ submissions seek measures to improve fuel efficiencies

  10. Climate Change and Congestion • RACQ tests confirm traffic congestion levels in Brisbane increase fuel consumption and vehicle emissions by 30% • Demonstrates the complexity of transport and need to consider multiple outcomes • If interventions or infrastructure projects do not reduce congestion, they may increase emissions even as they encourage mode shift or reduce travel distances • The problem is the extent of induced or latent demand • We have mechanisms to manage this.

  11. Climate Change Impacts of Road Construction • Construction is emissions intensive • Innovations could reduce emissions and add value to environmental management efforts • Opportunities include: • Reduce tonne kms of fill movement • Less emissions intensive or recycled construction materials and equipment • Technology incorporated in road to facilitate more efficient use or reduced maintenance need

  12. A Concrete Cure for Global Warming? • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) using concrete • Using our built environment as a carbon sink • Calcium silicate and magnesia based cements being investigated as alternatives to Portland cement • Making 1 tonne of cement emits roughly 1 tonne CO2 • The waste heat of flue gases can be beneficially used

  13. Tires-to-Asphalt Recycling • Specification for Performance Graded Tire Rubber-Modified Asphalt Binder • The proposed new standard applies to asphalt product that contains a minimum of 10 percent waste tire crumb rubber.

  14. Asphalt as a solar collector • Blacktop stays hot and could continue to generate energy after the sun goes down • There is already a massive acreage of installed roads and parking lots that could be retrofitted for energy generation • Retrofit could be built into resurfacing cycle to roll out over 10 to 15 years • Extracting heat from asphalt could cool it, reducing the urban ‘heat island’ effect • The solar collectors would be invisible Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  15. Road Safety • In 2007, road crashes killed 1,616 motorists, truck drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians in Australia. • 47 per cent involved single vehicles only; • 14 per cent involved pedestrians; • 16 per cent involved motorcycles; and • 10 per cent involved articulated trucks. • Road crashes cost the Australian economy some $18 billion a year.

  16. Dec 2007 8.6 / 100,000 Dec 2007 7.7 / 100,000 NSW 6.5 VIC 6.4

  17. Every year, more than 300 people die and a further 5000 are hospitalised on Queensland roads. Source: Gympie Times 31/01/08 Source: Sunshine Coast Daily 06/03/08 Source: Courier Mail 09/10/06 Source: Northern Times Caboolture 31/01/08

  18. Safer drivers in safer cars on safer roads

  19. Source: http://www.ausrap.org/ausrap/images/people.jpg

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