Iron Sheepdog的动态

Earlier this year we warned the government’s policies could lead to the end of rail for most of NZ. This feels like the start of that. Ditching rail ferries could be the nail in the coffin. The impacts of rail cuts are significant. Local councils will need to pay more for road maintenance. Freight movements less resilient & competitive. More pollution. We’ll all pay the price (literally through higher prices for goods and higher rates) https://lnkd.in/gRBevrD4

It can safely be said that changing the legislation in 2016 to regulate the amount of weight that can be carried on trucks just about helped save Fiji’s roads which were headed for ABSOLUTE DISASTER. Until then we could see trucks meant for use off road being used in Fiji to carry ordinary cargo at extraordinary weights. It was estimated that road damage due to overloaded trucks was costing Fiji $50 million a year – money that could have been better used for welfare or even constructing new roads and bridges. To save roads, LTA (Land Transport Authority) and FRA (Fiji Roads Authority) had to move to regulating weights based on axle loads and axle spacing over the previously followed manufacturer’s specifications. The new regulation meant that the heavy load borne by reduced number of axles which ended up causing severe damage to road surfaces, instead gets spread over a larger number of axles, thereby distributing weight evenly. The Government gave the industry two years’ time to upgrade equipment for the new regulations and in 2020 also gave truck owners a $20,000 grant to invest towards a more modernised fleet. The progressive ones used the grant, while some did not. Now there is a hue and cry to revert to the pre-2016 situation and remove those weight restrictions. Doing so would be suicidal for Fiji’s road infrastructure. Road users presently complain of potholes on roads – if we go back to previous weight-loads there will be no roads to talk about! Do we want that?

Enforcement Action leads to #saferroads The B.C. government issued a cancellation notice to the carrier that crashed six times in two years into provincial infrastructure. On Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the interest of safety, a formal cancellation notice was issued to Chohan Freight Forwarders for its operations in B.C. In a decision issued by the independent director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch, follows changes that allow for progressive suspension enforcement, to better deal with those few companies and drivers who are not being safe and responsible.” B.C. Carrier Chohan Freight Forwarders and Alberta-based?Chohan?Group have filed petitions in the B.C. Supreme Court saying the government concluded wrongly, they were “one operation” after an overpass crash in December 2023. The companies are stating in their petition that they're separate legal entities but share a family connection. In their filing, they said the suspension, which took its fleet of B.C. roads is costing upwards of $ 1 million/week. The independent contractor involve in the crash has admitted fault and been terminated. The Chohan Group is claiming the B.C. government has wrongfully denied oversized load permits, and the firm has never been involved in a crash, involving highway infrastructure, in Alberta, BC or anywhere else. ?? Article courtesy of Today's Trucking. #commercialtrucks #transportation #safetyfirst

https://lnkd.in/eRqbju5u In relative terms, we should remember that HS2 is costing about ￡90 billion, Barnet Formula should find a contribution which can be cascaded to the ￡2 billion to reunite the West, Mid and North Wales rail network and associated links? Loads of reasons, good reason why, but when you consider Government got rail people to suggest upgrading some parallel roads, the rail deficit should not be under-estimated. Let's re-rail now and Dumfries to Stranraer - takes on A75 monopoly and impact. #rail #railways #reopenings #transport #wales #dft #networkrail #landuse #planning# #chocies #people #places

EDITORIAL: "Nearly 900 people were on KiwiRail Interislander’s 29-year-old ferry 'Kaitaki' when it lost power in a storm in January 2023 whilst entering Wellington Harbour en route from Picton on the South Island. "Thankfully nobody died, and in the end the passengers remained safely on the ship rather than evacuating into lifeboats, but if you needed a red flag for a future catastrophe, this was it – and a bright red one at that. "Maritime New Zealand is filing a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act against KiwiRail over the incident, but this case is unlikely to address the two key safety issues that New Zealand faces: an ageing ferry fleet, and a lack of emergency towing capability to assist vessels in distress. "In short, the first problem is that the Cook Strait ferries are increasingly aged, and this is especially true for the NZ government’s KiwiRail ships that have an average age of 27 years. Shortsightedly, the government has decided that replacing them is too expensive, whereas their free enterprise competitor, StraitNZ, has ships that average 22 years old. "The problem lies not only in the cost of the replacement ferries themselves, but also because someone (likely a consultant) decided that bigger ones were needed, so NZ$1 billion (US$600 million) was required to upgrade the harbour infrastructure alone. "One obvious solution would be to build ships of identical dimensions to the existing units and then there would be no need to spend a billion Kiwi dollars on the port facilities. If extra capacity was needed, the operators could simply build more of the same units rather than bigger ships. We feel that that there are even better options that could provide better performance, higher levels of safety, and a smaller environmental footprint than simply replicating the conventional solutions from three decades ago." Full article link in comments.

Alright Folks, heads up! Traffic changes are coming to Hexham, Newcastle NSW this week due to the Hexham Straight Widening project. Night Work Schedule: When: 7pm to 5am, Sunday to Thursday, ending Friday, July 19 (weather permitting). Traffic Adjustments: Contraflow: Inbound lane to Newcastle with a 40km/h speed limit from Newcastle Inner City Bypass to Ironbark Creek Bridge (July 14-18). Turn Lane Closures: Right-hand turns into Newcastle Inner City Bypass closed; detour via Wallsend Road. Speed Limits: 60km/h during the day, 40km/h at night in work zones. Oversize Vehicle Instructions: Contact project team a day ahead at 1800 515 141 if your vehicle is over 3.2m wide. Stick to approved routes or update your permit. Plan Ahead: Follow signs and traffic controllers. Use alternative routes or add 15 minutes to your travel time. Extra Night Work: Intersections at Jesmond, Wallsend, Cameron Park: Starting July 17, expect three-night shifts over two weeks. Roundabouts and Surveys: Work at Newcastle Link Road intersections and Minmi Road. Stay safe and keep these changes in mind! #Logistics #Trucking #SupplyChain #Transport #Freight #InterstateTransport #RoadFreight #TransportServices #Linehaul #Procurement #3PL #Warehousing #Fleet #TruckingNews #cargo #Import #Export #OceanFreight #SeaFreight #AirFreight #Australia

The state of UK roads is a pressing issue, with potholes causing significant damage and posing risks to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. Recent reports indicate that the problem is at a five-year high, with local governments and the AA estimating repair costs for UK drivers at around ￡500m. The Asphalt Industry Alliance has highlighted an urgent need for repairs, with two million potholes expected to be fixed in the current financial year, marking a 43% increase from the previous year. As professionals, we must advocate for sustainable solutions and support initiatives that address this growing concern. It's not just about road repairs; it's about investing in infrastructure that can withstand the challenges posed by climate change and increased traffic. Let's raise awareness and push for action to ensure safe and reliable roads for all. In the meantime LETS FIX THE POT HOLES #UKRoads #PotholeCrisis #Infrastructure #letsfixthepotholes. Frost Solutions

Private Sidings: Reduce Delays & Speed Up Deliveries! By bypassing congested public rail yards, offering flexible scheduling, enabling direct loading, and streamlining the entire process, private sidings enhance freight efficiency and accelerate delivery times ?? #Unirail #railway #solutions #consultancy #railwayconsultancy #indiantrains #indianrailways

Support Rail enabled Cook Strait ferries. This should be a politically non partisan issue. Hopefully there are signs that this is heading that way, and despite not explicitly stating that replacement Cook Strait ferries will have rails on the deck, I was heartened by Minister of Finance Nicola Willis’s comments recently - as noted in my LinkedIn post here : https://lnkd.in/gTkDqUaG that Railfreight Interisland is critical to New Zealand’s future and that the Coalition Government truly believe and support that. This is one petition I do strongly support. Its non partisan, or at least should be as noted above, and critical for New Zealand’s future economic growth, resilience in a uncertain World, sustainability and wellbeing. I have written much on this issue over the past 10 plus months - you can see that on my LinkedIn feed history as to why this is a critical issue for New Zealand’s future. The link to the petition is in Joe Dodgshuns post below. #newzealand #infrastructure #interisland #transport #kiwirail #cookstrait

Financing your tractor paves the way for progress. Drive towards a prosperous harvest season after season. Your success story begins with a reliable tractor by your side! Explore our flexible financing today! Contact us ?? https://lnkd.in/dShBYrN4 #DriveSuccess #FarmingInnovation #CashFlowSmart #Financing #Rental #ROI #SupplyChain #FarmingFinancing #FarmingSolutions #Farming #SupplyChainSolutions