Why a Roads Alliance? Only one network - federal government resolute about a regional and network approach to road management Increasing demand on road system Rising community expectations Limited funding - need to spend existing money better Efficiencies through working in partnership Opportunity to lead road management development in Queensland Build on good working relationships between Main Roads and Local Governments.
What is the Roads Alliance? A state-wide framework that will guide decision making through set parameters for investment and road management strategies Focus on regional areas and authority to determine regional priorities at the regional level Wide breath of issues including investment strategies, project prioritisation, asset management, resource sharing, joint purchasing and capability improvement Not one size fits all approach due to the geographic diversity of Queensland The Alliance is voluntary Governed by the Roads Alliance Board
What is the Roads Alliance? (con t) Based on formation of Regional Road Groups (RRGs), Technical Committees and network of Local Roads of Regional Significance (LRRS) State Government controlled roads Local roads of regional significance National highways State strategic roads Regional roads District roads Local Government controlled roads Primary road Secondary road Minor road Access track/road Rough tracks LRRS accounts for 32,000km of the total length of Queensland road network
Benefits of the partnership Community Better regional road network sooner Improved access to social services within the region schools, hospitals etc A safer regional road network Improved regional economic development opportunities through reduced travel time and costs tourism, freight etc
Benefits of the partnership (con t) Local government Benefits derived locally from road management and investment decisions made regionally Economies of scale in various areas ie plant and equipment Improved local government road management, investment and construction capability Access to better road management technology Ability to produce a defensible case for road funding Continuing state government employment guarantees
Benefits of the partnership (con t) Main Roads Improved consistency in planning and investment Network approach to investment Best use of available resources Greater use of local government expertise Concentrate efforts on roads of state significance
Governance Alliance Board 6 members 3 from Main Roads & 3 from LGAQ Regional Road Groups (RRGs) One elected member per council and a Main Roads district director Observers s from other RRGs, Queensland Transport, other Technical Committee LG engineers/reps and Main Roads technical district officer RRG Assembly RRG chairpersons, REDs and alliance board members Consider state wide & cross border issues Alliance Documentation MOA and Operational Guidelines How to Guide Asset Management Kit Program Development Kit Joint Purchasing and Resource Sharing Framework Alliance Website
Role of the Alliance Board Oversee implementation and ongoing operations Monitor alliance performance and outcomes Ensure consistency of outputs across the state where appropriate Assist issue resolution when necessary Review and amend the MOA and Operational Guidelines to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of alliance initiatives Promote alliance outcomes/benefits at the national level Monitor and advise subsidiary committees
Role of Regional Road Groups Decision making body equal voting rights LRRS network considerations Oversee asset management requirements Develop regional investment strategies Approve 5-year regional works program Manage capability improvement Identify opportunities for joint purchasing & resource sharing In aggregate, RRGs responsible for managing $220 million of state and local government funds RRG operations supported by subsidy from State eg $15,000 for administrative tasks 12 Regional Road Groups in Qld Serviced by 18 district offices
Queensland Regional Road Groups Far North Northern North West Mackay/Whitsunday Fitzroy Bay/Burnett North Coast Darling Downs 12 Geographic Regions Serviced by 18 district offices Central West South West Wide Metropolitan South Coast
Role of the Technical Committee Advisory to RRG provide technical leadership Develop asset management capability Develop network vision Develop roads program for LRRS network Provide advice about employment and resource allocation, consistent with highest priorities Efficient scheduling of works Identify opportunities for joint purchasing, resource sharing, and for developing and sharing capability and training
Asset Management Task Roads Alliance principle to promote sound asset management practices across Main Roads and all Local Governments in Queensland that will require a minimum set of road data inputs and outputs that are consistent state-wide. Asset management survey State-wide asset management framework developed AM Kit Common road classification system Minimum common dataset Condition evaluation methodology Data transfer specification Reporting templates Public Tender for the Supply of Asset Management Systems Data Aggregation
Data Aggregation System Regional Road Group DMR - District Regional Road Group DMR - District Regional Road Group DMR - District ARMIS ARMIS ARMIS Aggregate the data and make reports available at: Sub-Regional Regional State Level Roads Alliance Hub External Stakeholders
Program Development Process
Joint Purchasing & Resource Sharing Roads Alliance Objective To identify resource saving opportunities for Main Roads and Local Government 1. Partnership approach working together for mutual benefit actively looking for opportunities to joint purchase resource share improve project scheduling improve contract administration 2. Regional planning approach by identifying the needs of the region and working towards them by looking for common initiatives across Main Roads and other local governments 3. Improved regional cooperation and project coordination to allow sharing of plant and human resources (maximise resource use) to reduce unit prices by joint purchasing of materials and services to schedule joint and/or consecutive projects to better use resources to improve workforce capability across regions
Conclusion The Roads Alliance involves change for LG and MR will provide LG and MR opportunities and more effective ways of dealing with local government will help to deliver MR requirements as road managers in line with MR s RCQ document and strategic plan in the short term, will require time and effort to establish and implement in the long term, will provide MR and LG with a better network focus and improved road management capability Roads Alliance provides Australian Government with the means to achieve R2R2 objectives