Ruapehu District Council roading team hailed as 'thought leaders' on rural issues

Ruapehu District Council land transport manager Warren Furner's idea to reduce logging trucks' damage to rural roads is being considered nationally.

Ruapehu District Council's roading team is leading the way in finding solutions to the pressures on New Zealand's rural roads.

Chief executive Clive Manley said the team members were recognised as "thought leaders" on how to approach some of the roading challenges facing rural parts of the country.

One example was land transport manager Warren Furner's idea to reduce the problems caused by heavy logging trucks.

"The idea, which is now under consideration by Local Government New Zealand and the New Zealand Transport Agency, is to incentivise logging trucks through road-user charges monitored by GPS to use specified routes that make use of state highways rather than more-fragile country roads," Manley said.

"While making use of state highways may be a longer route, the trucking company is compensated by lower road-user charges.

"The net benefit to rural New Zealand and NZ Inc is that this is more cost effective than rebuilding rural roads and bridges and relieves the financial stress on rural ratepayers."

The roading team had received requests from other councils and agencies to share its methods and practices, Manley said.