Road and rail freight infrastructure pricing

With AustraliaÆs dispersed population and production centres, the efficiency of freight transport, and of the infrastructure it uses, are important to this countryÆs economic performance, particularly with the projected doubling of the freight task over the next 20 years. This growth also underscores the need to take into account the wider community impacts of road and rail freight transport. This report, which stems from a decision of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), focuses on potential causes of inefficiency in road and rail freight. In particular, it addresses concerns that the different charging arrangements for use of road and rail freight infrastructure might be distorting modal choices and leading to inefficient infrastructure investment decisions. It examines the need for, and scope to, introduce more cost-reflective and demand-responsive pricing of road freight infrastructure. Given that rail now operates largely within a commercial setting, most of the analysis about appropriate charges and potential pricing reforms relates to road infrastructure. However, the report also examines regulatory and other reforms that would enhance the efficiency and productivity of rail as well as road freight. Indeed, such mechanisms are shown to be particularly important in improving railÆs commercial viability.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/47532/freight.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/978174E12
• Corporate Authors:

  Australia. Productivity Commission

  Canberra, ACT   

  Australia. Productivity Commission

  ,    
• Publication Date: 2006-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 363p + appendices
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 41

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Economic efficiency; Freight transportation; Highway transportation; Infrastructure; Modal split; Policy, legislation and regulation; Railroad transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Freight transport logistics
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ATRI Terms: Cost; Efficiency; Freight transport; Infrastructure; Modal split; Rail transport; Road transport; Transport regulation
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01387474
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 9.78174E+12
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 10:30PM