Nepc annual Report 2014-15

Diesel vehicle emission testing and repair programs

The CleanRun Program includes the utilisation of a portable roadside gas analyser that provides an efficient, cost effective method of characterising vehicle emissions and raising community awareness of vehicle emissions.

In 2014 the CleanRun Program was deployed for ten days across five sites in the Perth metropolitan area and emissions data for over 15,000 vehicles was collected.

Results from the CleanRun Program deployment (all vehicles) are listed below:

The range of emissions remains very large with a small number of vehicles at the high emissions end of the range responsible for the largest proportion of emissions. The worst five percent of vehicles are responsible for 37 per cent of smoke emissions, 33 per cent of nitrous oxide emissions, 57 per cent of hydrocarbon emissions and 60 per cent of carbon monoxide emissions.

There are increasing numbers of diesel passenger vehicles—23 per cent in 2014 compared with 16 per cent during the 2010 testing period.

Average emissions per vehicle (all fuel types) are decreasing. Improvements range from a 19 per cent reduction in smoke emissions to a 35 per cent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions.

Average vehicle size is increasing. Average vehicle weight increased from 1470 kg in 2007 to 1706 kg in 2014.

In addition to the roadside testing program, the community were invited to bring their vehicles for testing at a community day in March 2015. Drivers were encouraged to use the CleanRun Program and receive feedback from DER officers and Royal Automobile Club mechanics on site.

Audited maintenance programs for diesel vehicles

The National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) encourages heavy vehicle operators to take responsibility for servicing their vehicles and ensuring vehicles are compliant with scheme accreditation requirements.

In Western Australia, operators of certain types of heavy vehicles must become accredited to gain a permit or notice from Main Roads Western Australia. The majority of these vehicles use diesel as their primary fuel source. Western Australian Heavy Vehicle Accreditation is mandatory for individuals and organisations which require a permit or notice to perform any transport task as part of a commercial business or for profit within Western Australia, including interstate operators.

There are currently two accreditation modules—Fatigue and Vehicle Maintenance, which operators are required to incorporate into their daily work practices. Maintenance management encourages heavy vehicle operators to take responsibility for servicing their vehicles regularly and ensuring their vehicles are safe at all times. The standards for this module are similar to that required under the nationally endorsed NHVAS.

Accredited operators must ensure their vehicles are maintained and meet all relevant safety standards. A record of the maintenance and servicing work done to each vehicle must be kept to prove the vehicles are safe at all times.

Compliance and enforcement activities are key factors in ensuring effective and safe management of heavy vehicles on the road network. Transport inspectors in Western Australia are authorised by law to intercept and inspect vehicles for roadworthiness, load security and vehicle licencing conditions. Compliance also performs the important role of educating and working with the transport industry and other agencies and stakeholders to improve standards.

Diesel vehicle retrofit programs

Nil

Other programs

Communication

The CleanRun Program was developed to make the overall vehicle emission reduction actions immediately identifiable and to facilitate the promotion of key Diesel NEPM messages in Western Australia. Web pages, fact sheets and brochures are developed and produced to provide information on the CleanRun Program. All of these documents are available on DER’s website www.der.wa.gov.au. Attention continues to focus on promoting Diesel NEPM messages through established programs.

CleanRun EcoDrive

A major initiative of the Diesel NEPM communication strategy is CleanRun EcoDrive. The program aims to reduce diesel emissions through encouraging driver behaviour change.

CleanRun EcoDrive provides a resource package for fleet operators to reduce fuel use and related emissions by working with drivers to make small changes to their driving habits. Eco driving incorporates a number of safer, smarter driving techniques that maximise fuel economy by operating the engine as efficiently as possible.

The package includes the resources to develop an EcoDrive training program in-house, including driver training materials developed by experts in the transport industry. It is estimated that fleet operating organisations who implement the CleanRun EcoDrive program can reduce fuel use and related emissions by up to 20 per cent. All resources are available to download free-of-charge from DERs website www.der.wa.gov.au. DER worked with industry partners to develop the resources.

South Australia

Report to the NEPC on the implementation of the National Environment Protection (Diesel Vehicle Emissions) Measure for South Australia by the Hon. Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, for the reporting year ended 30 June 2015.

PART 1—IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEPM AND ANY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

In South Australia, the National Environment Protection (Diesel Vehicles Emissions) Measure (Diesel NEPM) became an Environment Protection Policy under the repealed Section 28A of the Environment Protection Act 1993. Section 4 of the transitional provisions in the Environment Protection (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2005, Schedule 1, enables the continued operation of the Diesel NEPM as an Environment Protection Policy.

The South Australian Government made provision to regulate emissions from diesel vehicles under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Rules 1999: Rule 147A—Exhaust Emissions—diesel-powered vehicles. Rule 147A set emission limits for NO_x and Particulate Matter for diesel vehicles that are in service.

The 10-second smoke rule regulated as Rule 147 in Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Rules 1999 has also been applied as an in-service standard towards the achievement of Diesel NEPM outcomes.

National Heavy Vehicle Law was enacted in South Australia in 2013 including adoption of the national regulations. Rule 96 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) Regulation continues the existing diesel emission standard for South Australian heavy vehicles (in addition to requiring heavy vehicles in each participating jurisdiction to comply with the standard).

Compliance with Rule 147A & Rule 96 was previously tested at the Regency Park Vehicle Inspection Emissions Test Facility, however the facility has now been closed due to high maintenance costs and low throughput of vehicles. Arrangements are still being sought to undertake this testing within the private sector. When a testing service is identified and operational, vehicles that fail the emissions test will be defected, and then required to submit for re-testing for compliance with the Standard.

SA Police patrols are the primary means for the detection of vehicles exceeding the 10-second smoke rule. During the reporting period, no diesel vehicles were reported by SA Police to the Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) for the assessment of corrective actions.

South Australia has continued its commitment to use biodiesel in a significant portion of its government owned public transport bus fleet. Currently, all buses operate on either a 5% or 20% biodiesel blend or compressed natural gas. The opportunity to expand biodiesel use, particularly in new Euro VI compliant buses will be investigated.

While the Environment Protection Authority has responsibility for leading South Australia’s response to this NEPM, DPTI is investigating and developing relevant strategies for the management of emissions from diesel vehicles.

PART 2—ASSESSMENT OF NEPM EFFECTIVENESS

The Regency Park Emissions Test Facility was closed during 2013–14 financial year due to high maintenance costs and reliability issues. Private sector providers are being sought to provide alternative emissions testing services including diesel emissions.