Transport Act 1983
Encyclopedia
The Transport Act 1983 was the main statute establishing government transport organisations and regulating land transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia
for 27 years from mid 1983 to mid 2010. The Act was used as the vehicle for changes to transport organisational arrangements and transport regulation activities pursued by Victorian governments over that period.
The Transport Act received the royal assent
on 23 June 1983 and commenced on 1 July of that year. The Act remained as Victoria's principal transport statute until mid 2010 when that position was taken by a new statute, the Transport Integration Act 2010. It was renamed as the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
, a title which it retains to this day.
, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board and the Country Roads Board
. In their place were established a range of new organisations including the State Transport Authority, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority. The Transport Act also established the Ministry of Transport as the prime coordinating agency for transport in Victoria.
. The main schemes which remain relate to taxi and hire car regulation, the only substantial area of Victorian transport regulation not to be contained in a discrete statute, and provisions relating to compliance and enforcement in safety areas and affecting public transport ticketing and conduct.
, to manage train, tram and bus operations in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria. The Transport (Amendment) Act also merged the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority to create the Roads Corporation or VicRoads
to manage the State's road network and its vehicle licensing and registration systems. The mergers took effect on 1 July 1989.
and the abolition of the Public Transport Corporation
as well as the creation of discrete and special purpose organisations such as VicTrack
and V/Line
.
, in early 2010 and it commenced on 1 July of that year. The new Act took over from the Transport Act as Victoria's main transport statute and, at the same time, it stretched beyond land transport settings to cover ports and marine activities.
including the land transport agencies previously established and empowered by the Transport Act.
changed the name of the Transport Act 1983 to the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
. The name change took effect on 1 July 2010.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for 27 years from mid 1983 to mid 2010. The Act was used as the vehicle for changes to transport organisational arrangements and transport regulation activities pursued by Victorian governments over that period.
The Transport Act received the royal assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on 23 June 1983 and commenced on 1 July of that year. The Act remained as Victoria's principal transport statute until mid 2010 when that position was taken by a new statute, the Transport Integration Act 2010. It was renamed as the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...
, a title which it retains to this day.
Organisational reforms
The Transport Act was initially passed by the Victorian Parliament as a major reform measure particularly in relation to institutional arrangements in the transport portfolio. The Act abolished a range of long established transport agencies including the Victorian RailwaysVictorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board and the Country Roads Board
Country Roads Board
The Country Roads Board was the government authority responsible for the construction and maintenance of main roads in the State of Victoria, Australia between 1913 and 1983. Its first chairman was William Calder who remained in charge until his death in 1928...
. In their place were established a range of new organisations including the State Transport Authority, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority. The Transport Act also established the Ministry of Transport as the prime coordinating agency for transport in Victoria.
Transport regulation
The Transport Act also consolidated much of the suite of Victorian land transport statutes containing regulatory controls. The Act initially contained a suite of provisions affecting trains and trams, buses, taxis and hire cars and tow trucks. Few of these provisions remain today in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) ActTransport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...
. The main schemes which remain relate to taxi and hire car regulation, the only substantial area of Victorian transport regulation not to be contained in a discrete statute, and provisions relating to compliance and enforcement in safety areas and affecting public transport ticketing and conduct.
Later developments
The major organisational changes brought about by the Transport Act were themselves the subject of major changes in the period after 1983.1989 organisational consolidation
In 1989, the Victorian Parliament passed a new statute, the Transport (Amendment) Act, which made major adjustments to the initial organisational changes made by the Transport Act in 1983. The new Act merged the State Transport Authority and the Metropolitan Transit Authority to establish a new organisation, the Public Transport CorporationPublic Transport Corporation
The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....
, to manage train, tram and bus operations in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria. The Transport (Amendment) Act also merged the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority to create the Roads Corporation or VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
to manage the State's road network and its vehicle licensing and registration systems. The mergers took effect on 1 July 1989.
Other organisational changes
Other major organisational changes occurred after 1989 including the establishment of the office of the Director of Public TransportDirector of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
and the abolition of the Public Transport Corporation
Public Transport Corporation
The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....
as well as the creation of discrete and special purpose organisations such as VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
and V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
.
Regulatory developments
Many of the regulatory consolidations effected by the Transport Act have been reversed since the Act was initially passed. In many cases, the Victorian Parliament has acted to pass new principal statutes for subject matters previously regulated by the Transport Act. Examples of this activity include the enactment of -- the Public Transport Competition Act 1995 (since renamed the Bus Services Act 1995)
- the Rail Corporations Act 1996
- the Rail Safety Act 2006Rail Safety ActThe Rail Safety Act 2006 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of rail operations in the State...
- the Accident Towing Services Act 2007Accident Towing Services ActThe Accident Towing Services Act 2007 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime statute regulating the vehicle towing industry which provides towing and recovery services for light and heavy road vehicles across Victoria. It is predominately...
- the Bus Safety Act 2009Bus Safety ActThe Bus Safety Act 2009 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of bus operations across the State....
, and - the Tourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010Tourist and Heritage Railways ActThe Tourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the activities of tourist and heritage rail operators in the State...
.
The Transport Integration Act 2010
The Victorian Parliament passed a major new transport statute, the Transport Integration ActTransport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....
, in early 2010 and it commenced on 1 July of that year. The new Act took over from the Transport Act as Victoria's main transport statute and, at the same time, it stretched beyond land transport settings to cover ports and marine activities.
Transfer of organisations
All Victorian transport organisations created by statute have been transferred to the Transport Integration ActTransport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....
including the land transport agencies previously established and empowered by the Transport Act.
Change of name of Transport Act
The Transport Integration ActTransport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....
changed the name of the Transport Act 1983 to the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983
The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...
. The name change took effect on 1 July 2010.
See also
- Transport Integration ActTransport Integration ActThe Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....
- Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...