This Data Standard for Road Management and Investment in Australia and New Zealand has been developed in response to a need to standardise and harmonise data sets that support common road management and investment functions. Specifically, this Standard establishes a common understanding of the meaning or semantics of the data, to ensure correct and proper use and interpretation of the data by its stakeholders. The harmonised data specifications are specific to the data that is typically and routinely shared between organisations. It provides consistency in data definition and format. A harmonised Data Standard will assist with road management and investment activities including: asset and service performance assessment, performance benchmarking, road research, policy development, expenditure comparisons, funding approvals, supporting national reforms, national reporting, innovation, shared services, and inter-organisation communications. Specific features of this Standard include: glossary of standard terms; flexibility in terms of adoption and implementation to suit all organisations; multiple modes of navigation to specific data specifications; and guidance on current and future data sophistication. This Standard is designed to interface with existing management systems related to data collection, finance, risk, and information. The key benefits of this Standard, to organisations, is improved effectiveness in data driven decision making, resulting from unified understanding of the data being shared; and time savings resulting from adopting a standard approach to data storage and reporting. This Standard is the product of comprehensive consultation in Australia and New Zealand across the road industry. The Standard allows organisations to determine their desired level of sophistication with respect to both asset inventory recording and asset management planning and provides the relevant data specification in this regard. This approach allows any road agency to readily adopt this Standard for the level of sophistication that is appropriate for that organisation and its assets. Furthermore, this approach is also consistent with the fundamental principles of ISO 55000:2014 Management System — Asset Management, particularly in regard to maximising ‘value’ from assets. About Austroads Austroads is the peak organisation of Australasian road transport and traffic agencies. Austroads’ purpose is to support its member organisations to deliver an improved Australasian road transport network. To succeed in this task, it undertakes leading-edge road and transport research which underpins input to policy development and published guidance on the design, construction and management of the road network and its associated infrastructure. Austroads provides a collective approach that delivers value for money, encourages shared knowledge and drives consistency for road users. Austroads is governed by a Board consisting of senior executive representatives from each of its eleven member organisations: * Roads and Maritime Services New South Wales; * Roads Corporation Victoria; * Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland; * Main Roads Western Australia; * Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure South Australia; * Department of State Growth Tasmania; * Department of Transport Northern Territory; * Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, Australian Capital Territory; * Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development; * Australian Local Government Association; and * New Zealand Transport Agency. Background to this Standard An internal Strategic Business Case report was prepared for Austroads in early 2015, which drew the conclusion that development of harmonised road asset data standards would achieve the following: * Harmonising road asset data standards creates a platform to improve road agency practices and drive innovation; * Implementation of harmonised road asset data standards can assist in the realisation of national reform benefits; and * Harmonised data standards has the potential to achieve significant benefits. The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) to the road sector of having a developed and implemented harmonised data standard, actively influencing reform and adoption of emerging technologies for all stakeholders, was calculated at a range of 5 - 22. The report notes three implementation options, aside from the Do Minimum/Do Nothing option: * Option 1: a harmonised road asset data standard and taxonomy is adopted by road agencies, local councils, road manager partners and service providers; * Option 2: Option 1 plus a centralised database is used to store road agency and local council road asset data; and * Option 3: a national agency is formed to collect, store and report on road asset information across all road networks. Option 1 was presented as the preferred option because: “it represents a ‘no regrets’ option — it is the easiest and least cost option and is a foundational step to implementing option 2 and option 3. Option 1 is also the least risky option and will also most likely receive the most support from key stakeholders”. In mid-2015, Austroads made the decision to invest in Option 1 and Phase 1 of the implementation plan from the Strategic Business Case: * Investigate and quantify Commonwealth and jurisdictional requirements regarding data scope; * Develop a ‘straw man’ as the proposed harmonised asset data standard; * Conduct a gap analysis and impact assessment for road agencies; and * Prepare a final business case to better quantify costs, benefits and risks. This Standard has been formed in response to the Option 1, Phase 1 requirements for Austroads. (Author/publisher)
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