Recognising the supply chain pressure during the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown, the Government has made some adjustments to enable all freight to move, Road Transport Forum chief executive Nick Leggett says.

“A refinement of the rules means that non-essential freight, which previously could not be moved unless it was in the way of essential freight, can now be moved to its end destination.”

Customers can receive this freight, but they can‘t be open to operate their businesses under alert level 4.

Leggett says when issuing lockdown rules, with the primary aim being to save lives, the Government tried to separate freight into essential and non-essential, with only essential freight allowed to be moved. The aim was to reduce the number of people in New Zealand leaving their homes for work and to eliminate opportunities for the virus to take hold of the population as it has in other countries.

But an unintended consequence was that it clogged the freight chain – it‘s a system that needs to keep goods moving to work at its optimum. The RTF has spent the past three weeks working through this with government officials and in a meeting with Transport Minister Phil Twyford. 

Leggett says the change is good news for the road freight transport industry and the RTF thanks the Government for making this adjustment.

“It means freight companies can get on with their business and free-flowing freight will help exporters and importers, as well as those who are part of the domestic supply chain,” Leggett says.

Also announced yesterday were the parameters of life under alert level 3.

“We have collectively got our fingers crossed that on Monday [20 April], Cabinet will have confidence New Zealand is in the right place health-wise to allow this to happen soon, possibly next week.”

Leggett says there will still be a lot of restrictions in place. To ensure the Government has confidence the transport industry is working safely and has the traceability required – the Ministry of Health will need to be able to contact all people who have had contact with someone who contracts Covid-19 – the RTF has drawn up a set of protocols for road freight transport.

These protocols are under consultation and will be released to the industry when the RTF is clear what the parameters of alert level 3 are, and a date is given for the change.

“It is absolutely imperative that industry keeps workers safe so that business can continue and we don‘t have to go back into lockdown. No one wants that. There will be a trust element. So just reflect on what one month of lockdown has been like for your business before looking for ways to break the rules.”

Details of the adjustment are on the Ministry of Transport website (see graphic) and updated guidance is here: https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Import/Uploads/About/Transport-Essential-Services.pdf