Transport ‘barriers’ action
The government is preparing to remove or suspend regulatory barriers that make it harder for businesses and communities to cope with global fuel shocks.
Chris Bishop, the Minister for Transport, and David Seymour, Minister for Regulation, say the coalition is refining some vehicle regulations that make it harder for businesses and communities to ease the burden of the fuel crisis.
“New Zealand’s fuel supply is stable and we’re focused on keeping it that way,” says Seymour. “This government has responded well to the potential of conflict in the Middle East leading to fuel shortages.
“Last month we called for businesses, fuel users, freight operators and the public to report any regulatory barriers that might be hindering our response to global fuel uncertainty to the red-tape tipline.”
Submissions to the tipline the government is looking into include allowing some heavy vehicles to carry more per weight per trip so less journeys are required to improve fuel efficiency. Others are:
• Bringing some licence-class weight thresholds for zero-emission vehicles in line with similar diesel vehicles. For example, some electric utes are heavier than diesel ones, pushing them into a different weight threshold. This means people need a higher-class licence to drive them, which prevents uptake.
• Relaxing time and access restrictions for over-dimension vehicles, enabling travel during off-peak time, shorter trips and fuel savings.
• Removing some restrictions on routes over-dimension vehicles can make and when they can travel. For example, there are sections of Auckland’s motorways and toll roads they are unable to use meaning more fuel is burnt travelling less direct routes.
“We are still in phase one of the national fuel-response plan, but we don’t want a repeat of the Covid-19 lockdowns,” says Seymour. “Doing the work to boost fuel efficiency now helps ensure we can stay in phase one for as long as possible, causing the least disruption to Kiwis.”
Bishop adds: “One of the consistent messages from the freight sector is current weight restrictions – formally known as the vehicle dimensions and mass rule – are holding back efficiency.
“In the short term, even small increases in permitted loads could reduce the number of trips needed, saving time, lowering costs and reducing fuel use.
“We need to balance that with safety and network impacts, but there are sensible changes we can make that will lift productivity without compromising standards.
“Fuel prices are already putting pressure on households and businesses, which is why this work matters. Getting ahead of the problem now helps reduce the impact if global conditions worsen.”
All options are being developed so they can be implemented quickly if the government moves to phase two and it expects options to be ready by the end of April if needed. If that becomes less likely, some ideas could be reworked into more permanent changes to reduce the impact of elevated fuel prices on the economy over the medium to long term.
