Bill to modernise transport

The Land Transport Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament yesterday. The Bill is intended to modernise regulation of small passenger services, update rules for heavy vehicles and improve road safety. Transport Minister Simon Bridges, who introduced the Bill, says: “The Land Transport Amendment Bill will overhaul key areas of transport law to modernise the sector and make travelling more efficient and safer.” He adds that changes to rules for small passenger services “will simplify requirements to accommodate new business models.” “The amendments will reduce compliance costs allowing taxis, private hire vehicles and shuttles the flexibility to be innovative while maintaining the safety of passenger, drivers and vehicles.” The Bill will also see technical amendments relating to heavy vehicles, which follow recent changes to improve heavy vehicle productivity, and update penalties for operators exceeding vehicle height, length and weight limits. The Bill contains safety improvements, including simplifying the law relating to alcohol interlocks and creating more effective deterrents to drivers fleeing from police. “Alcohol interlocks are a highly effective tool for reducing drink-driving. The amendments contained in the Bill are expected to result in greater use of alcohol interlocks by high-risk offenders and recidivist drink-drivers.” Bridges adds: “It also proposes to increase the penalties for drivers who fail to stop for the police to up to 2 years’ disqualification from driving, and strengthens the power of courts to confiscate the vehicles of repeat offenders.” There is also a crackdown on fare evasion on public transport, with enforcement officers given new powers to address the issue under the Bill. “Reducing fare evasion makes sure public transport operators receive all the revenue they are entitled to, and that all passengers pay their fair share.” A range of minor technical amendments are also contained in the Bill, which ensures that the Land Transport Act 1998 is clear and operating as intended.