States reject heavy vehicle hike

<p>The Federal Government needed to do more to fund freight transport, but increasing the cost of truck haulage was not the answer, the Victorian transport minister, Peter Batchelor, said yesterday (Monday, March 20).</p> <p>The criticism of infrastructure funding comes after the National Transport Commission proposed a 37% increase in heavy vehicle registration costs and a 2.1 cents-per-litre hike in net diesel excise as a solution to deteriorating roads.</p> <p>Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia joined Tasmania and South Australia in voting against the proposed changes.</p> <p>Mr Batchelor said more funding was needed to maintain roads and strengthen bridges, as well as provide new strategic links for freight transport.</p> <p>The industry was already under pressure from high fuel costs, he said. </p> <p>But the Australasian Railways Association said it was time for decisions on economic reform to be taken away from transport ministers. </p> <br />