Road network risks falling into a financial ‘pothole’

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NatRoad is calling for a new approach or the road network risks falling into a financial pothole when it comes to the national road charging system.

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NatRoad, Australia’s largest trucking industry association, today called on the Federal Government to design and implement a new national road charging system that was fair to all road users before the future funding and safety of the road networks falls into a financial pothole.

This follows the High Court decision this week which ruled against distance-based road charges for electric and low emission vehicles which had been put in place by Victoria, with similar taxes planned in NSW and Western Australia to commence in 2027.

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said today “Now Australia’s road user charging system has been upended by the High Court, our already broken system for how we pay for roads is unravelling even further.

“The emerging state-based road user charging system for electric vehicles risked imposing new layers of red tape and complex charge rates on businesses. 

“This is a watershed decision which confirms that national road pricing and infrastructure reform will be unavoidable. The current state-based system is unfair and needs a radical overhaul that fairly balances road use against the costs of maintaining and improving our national road system.

“It is unfair that other road users including the trucking industry should shoulder the costs of road charges when electric vehicle owners do not. There should be no free ride for electric and low emission vehicles when other road users have to pick up their bill.

“Some claim that electric vehicles already pay their fair share in other taxes on higher purchase prices. But this ignores that this other revenue will decline as electric vehicles become more affordable, fuel excise will collapse over time, and not charging electric vehicles for road use is like handing them an incentive to increase urban congestion.

“We can still build in incentives for zero and low emission vehicles as part of a fair system.

“The High Court decision clearly and firmly places responsibility back on the Federal Government to devise and implement a scheme of road charging that is fair and reasonable to all road users, including the trucking industry which has carried a disproportionate share for years” he said.