With the implementation of the PIARC Strategic Plan for 2008-2011 there are four strategic themes under which the technical committees will operate. The strategic themes, their committees and Australasian members are:

Goal
Encourage the development of road transport policies and programmes that result in beneficial community outcomes for sustainable and safe mobility in economic, environmental and social terms, with special attention paid to energy issues and the mitigation of the impacts on climate from the road transport system.

Overview
Strategic Theme A brings together the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability. Over recent years, the impact of climate change has become a major issue as the understanding of the effect and its impact has developed. The contribution of road transport to global carbon emissions is significant, and is an issue for countries in all stages of development. Technical Committee A.1 will bring together member countries' experiences and plans for limiting the impact of roads and road transport on carbon emissions.

There is an increasing need for socio-economic development through improving the provision, quality and management of road infrastructure which is often an increasing pressure on budgets. Road authorities are therefore looking for more creative ways to finance and manage road improvements. Strategic Theme A considers new contractual frameworks, including PPP. As mobility is a commodity in higher demand than ever, mobility pricing measures will be examined.

It is important for governments and road authorities to have an understanding of the impacts of improved mobility on social development, and to understand how communities can be involved and benefit from road improvements and maintenance.

A.1 Sustainable Environment
Lisa Rossiter, TNZ - lisa.rossiter@transit.govt.nz
Adam Maguire*, VicRoads - adam.maguire@roads.vic.gov.au
Kathryn Mahony*, QT - kathryn.m.mahony@transport.qld.gov.au

A.2 Financing, Managing and Contracting of Road System Investment
Brian Noble, MR WA - brian.noble@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Martin Fletcher, TNZ - martin.fletcher@transit.govt.nz
Vincent Scarcella*, QT - vincent.d.scarcella@transport.qld.gov.au

A.3 Road System Economics and Social Development
Ernest Albuqerque, TNZ - ernest.albuquerque@landtransport.govt.nz
Neil McGladrigan*, DMR Qld - neil.w.mcgladrigan@mainroads.qld.gov.au

Goal
Encourage the improvement of services provided to the community by improved operation of the road transport system, integration with other transport modes, good governance and a customer-oriented approach.

Overview
Strategic Theme B takes a view of road transport as a service provided to the community, considering road users and affected communities as customers of the transport network. The following aspects will be studied:

• Stewardship and governance of road administrations, ensuring quality of service to customers, and safeguarding the future by providing the right skills and competencies in the workforce.
• Taking forward best practice in terms of governance in roads administrations.
• Making the best possible use of road space through the use of technology, targeted where customers need it most and delivering more efficient use of the road space.
• Understanding the mobility choices demanded in urban areas and considering case studies to develop new ideas.
• How to ensure goods can be delivered safely and efficiently to and between ports, airports and major centres of population.
• How to maximise the availability and safety of the road network through improved winter operations, taking account of technology, resource requirements and costs

B.1 Good Governance of Road Administrations
Brendan Nugent, RTA NSW - Brendan_Nugent@rta.nsw.gov.au
Tom Baskerville*, DMR Qld - tom.c.baskerville@mainroads.qld.gov.au
Flori Mihai*, MR WA - flori.mihai@mainroads.wa.gov.au

B.2 Road Network Operations
Phil Lawes, DTEI SA - phil.lawes@saugov.sa.gov.au
Andew Wall*, VicRoads - andrew.wall@roads.vic.gov.au
Kelvin Marett*, MR WA - kelvin.f.marrett@mainroads.qld.gov.au
Deryk Whyte*, TNZ - deryk.whyte@transit.govt.nz

B.3 Improved Mobility in Urban Areas
Anita Curnow, VicRoads - anita.curnow@roads.vic.gov.au
Shane Doran*, QT - shane.g.doran@transport.qld.gov.au
Lyndon Hammond*, LTNZ - lyndon.hammond@landtransport.govt.nz

B.4 Freight Transport and Inter Modality
Don Hogben, VicRoads - don.hogben@roads.vic.gov.au
Trudi Meakins*, DTEI SA - trudi.meakins@saugov.sa.gov.au
Mark Mitchell*, DMR Qld - mark.m.mitchell@mainroads.qld.gov.au
Rick Barber*, LTNZ - rick.barber@landtransport.govt.nz

B.5 Winter Operation
Peter Connors*, TNZ - peter.connors@transit.govt.nz

Goal
Improve the safe and efficient use of the road system, including the movement of people and goods on the road network, while effectively managing the risks associated with road transport operations and the natural environment.

Overview
Provision of roads that are safe to use, and promoting their safe use, are priorities for all road administrations. Strategic Theme C will support these aims through consideration of how safety is integrated into the design process and how it is balanced against cost; the safe operation of roads through road authorities' strategies and plans, and in particular, how target areas or groups are identified; how operational risks are managed (whether natural or manmade); and the safe operation of road tunnels, with their specific operational risks.

The current international focus on security is reflected in Technical Committee C.3, through the study of risk assessment of critical infrastructure and network resilience, and the perception of risk in the community.

C.1 Safer Road Infrastructure
Jon Douglas, DMR Qld - jon.c.douglas@mainroads.qld.gov.au
Brendan Marsh*, MR WA - brendan.marsh@mainroads.wa.gov.au

C.2 Safer Road Operation
George Mavroyeni, VicRoads - george.mavroyeni@roads.vic.gov.au
Martin Small*, DTEI SA - Martin.small@saugov.sa.gov.au
Bob Gibson*, LTNZ - bob.gibson@landtransport.govt.nz

C.3 Managing Operational Risk in National and International Road Operations
Maurice Cammack, MR WA - maurice.cammack@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Roly Frost, TNZ - roly.frost@transit.govt.nz
Geoff McDonald*, QT - geoffrey.j.mcdonald@transport.qld.gov.au

C.4 Road Tunnel Operations
Jason Venz*, QT - jason.r.venz@mainroads.qld.gov.au
Rudolph Kotze*, TNZ - rudolph.kotze@transit.govt.nz

Strategic Theme D: Quality of Road Infrastructure

Goal
Improve the quality of road infrastructure through the effective management of assets in accordance with user expectations and managers' requests.

Overview
The need for more efficient use of funds requires constant improvement in techniques for improving the design and maintenance of assets. A better understanding of asset infrastructure and its condition is needed in order to plan maintenance and allocate resources across the asset.

Road pavements (flexible and rigid pavements), bridges and geotechnics will be studied in terms of design, durability and maintenance, use of innovative materials, assessment and maintenance methods that can reduce costs and minimise impact on the environment: in particular, Technical Committee D.2 will consider, in partnership with vehicle and tyre manufacturers, methods for noise reduction.

D.1 Management of Road Infrastructure Assets
Mick Lorenz, DTEI SA - mick.lorenz@saugov.sa.gov.au
Chris Parkman, TNZ - chris.parkman@transit.govt.nz
Adrian Tofful*, VicRoads - adrian.tofful@roads.vic.gov.au

D.2 Road Pavement
Peter Bryant, DMR Qld - peter.n.bryant@mainroads.qld.gov.au

D.3 Road Bridges
Erica Smith, MR WA - ericar.smith@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Peter Graham*, DMR Qld - peter.x.graham@mainroads.qld.gov.au

D.4 Geotechnics and Unpaved Roads
Vasantha Wijeyakulasuriya*, DMR Qld - vasantha.wijeyakulasuriya@mainroads.qld.gov.au

* denotes corresponding member

Initial meetings of the new technical committees were held in April 2008. Reports from technical committee representatives will be loaded into the table below as they are received.