The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released a five-year blueprint to increase safety and productivity in the road freight industry.

It says the industry has become used to convoluted and overly prescriptive regulations amid sometimes nationally inconsistent and unco-ordinated compliance and enforcement activities.

“This approach is unsustainable from a perspective of efficient use and allocation of scarce regulatory resources,” the document says. “It also fails to achieve meaningful cultural change that delivers sustainable safety and productivity outcomes.”

The document, titled Setting the Agenda – Strategies for a Safer, Productive and more Compliant Heavy Vehicle Industry, outlines priorities through to 2020.

This financial year these include reviewing accreditation and certification standards, developing a safety risk management framework and delivering a national heavy vehicle safety awareness campaign.

“As a regulator, the NHVR will set the standard in relation to heavy vehicle safety, while taking a balanced approach to cutting red tape and improving industry access to services and products,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester told the National Road Transport Association conference in Cairns last week.

Heavy motor insurer National Transport Insurance (NTI) says it will continue to seek commitments from the NHVR and state transport agencies on educating road users about heavy vehicles.

“While the statement focuses on safety, compliance and productivity, from NTI’s perspective, our No.1 priority continues to be road safety and less trauma on our roads,” Manager Industry Affairs and Customer Relations Owen Driscoll told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“NTI’s National Truck Accident Research Centre has time and time again established that in the great majority of fatal multi-vehicle accidents involving heavy vehicles, that the lighter vehicle is totally responsible.”

The NHVR was established in January 2013 after the Council of Australian Governments agreed to establish a single national system of laws for heavy vehicles above 4.5 tonnes.

The regulator released a strategic directions document earlier this year.