International

World Road Association

About the World Road Association

The World Road Association (PIARC) is an international road organisation based in Paris, France. It has 118 national federal government members, 2000 collective or individual members in 142 countries and over 650 experts in 17 standing technical committees. The Association deals primarily in issues of road infrastructure planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation. These relate to the main areas of work which the Association has identified. The work of the Association is undertaken by technical committees which are comprised of representatives from member countries and organistions.

Founded in 1909, the Association is a major international forum which plays a leading role to bring together the international road community to exchange knowledge and techniques on roads and road related transport. Australia has been an active member of the Association for many years and continues to contribute with enthusiasm. For more information about the Association visit the website at: www.piarc.org/en/.

An overview presentation of the 2012 - 2015 Strategic themes may be viewed here

An overview of how the Technical Committees operate can be viewed here

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

Strategic Theme A: Sustainability of the Road Transport System

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.

Technical Committees

A.1 Sustainable Environment

Lisa Rossiter, NZTA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Helen Murphy*, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kathryn Mahony*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A.2 Financing, Managing and Contracting of Road System Investment

Brian Noble, MR WA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Vincent Scarcella*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A.3 Road System Economics and Social Development

Ernest Albuqerque, NZTA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Neil McGladrigan*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Strategic Theme B: Improving Provision of Services

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

Technical Committees

B.1 Good Governance of Road Administrations
Brendan Nugent, RTA NSW - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Flori Mihai*, MR WA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

B.2 Road Network Operations
Phil Lawes, DTEI SA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Andew Wall*, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kelvin Marett*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

B.3 Improved Mobility in Urban Areas
Anita Curnow, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Shane Doran*, DTMR - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Lyndon Hammond*, NZTA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

B.4 Freight Transport and Inter Modality
Don Hogben, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Trudi Meakins*, DTEI SA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mark Mitchell*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rick Barber*, NZTA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Strategic Theme C: Safety of the Road System

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.

Technical Committees

C.1 Safer Road Infrastructure
Jon Douglas, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Brendan Marsh*, MR WA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

C.2 Safer Road Operation
George Mavroyeni, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Bob Gibson*, NZTA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

C.3 Managing Operational Risk in National and International Road Operations
Maurice Cammack, MR WA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

C.4 Road Tunnel Operations
Jason Venz*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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.

Technical Committees

D.1 Management of Road Infrastructure Assets
Mick Lorenz, DTEI SA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Adrian Tofful*, VicRoads - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

D.2 Road Pavement
Peter Bryant, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

D.2b Flexible and Semi Rigid Pavements sub-committee
Narelle Dobson*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

D.2c Concrete Pavements sub-committee
David Hazell* RTA NSW - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

D.3 Road Bridges
Erica Smith, MR WA - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Peter Graham*, DTMR Qld - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

D.4 Geotechnics and Unpaved Roads

* denotes corresponding member

National Committee for Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are both national members of the World Road Association (PIARC) and each is represented by a First Delegate on the PIARC Council which meets annually. Australia and New Zealand are also actively involved in the technical committees established by PIARC.

To improve communication links and provide an active facility for feeding into the Austroads strategic research process and the development of the Austroads Guides, each PIARC technical committee has been aligned with an Austroads program. Technical committee members are either full or corresponding members of Austroads task forces or review panels.

A list of the Australasian members of PIARC technical committees for 2008-2011 is shown separately.

PIARC encourages member countries to establish national committees to:

• channel PIARC information to a national audience
• channel national information to an international audience
• assist in the identification and selection of representatives to PIARC technical committees
• assist in national membership administration.

The Australian and New Zealand National Committee of the World Road Association is recognised by PIARC as the national committee for Australia and New Zealand. It has responsibility for managing Australia's and New Zealand's involvement in PIARC. When it is operating in this capacity it is known as the Australian and New Zealand National Committee of the World Road Association and its role includes:

• representing PIARC in Australia
• fostering membership of PIARC in Australia
• fostering implementation of world's best practice by dissemination of PIARC information and technology
• fostering information exchange with overseas organisations in the road and road transport sectors
• assisting PIARC in any activities in the South East Asian, Australasian and Pacific regions, and specifically to co-ordinate Australia's PIARC activities with those of New Zealand.

Support to PIARC Secretariat

Since 2003 Austroads has arranged the secondment of an officer from an Austroads member organisation to the PIARC secretariat in Paris. The current secondee is Claire Murdoch from RTA NSW. The seconded officer assists the PIARC secretariat, supports one of the PIARC strategic themes, maintains links with the Asia Pacific region and liaises with Austroads and its member organisations.

Contact details

Any enquiries about the Austroads International Committee should be forwarded to:

Phone: +61 2 9264 7088
Fax: +61 2 9264 1657
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it