Key Performance Indicators
Good performance information is an essential part of good management and assists in ensuring accountability, transparency and aids us in our decision making. At Main Roads we use performance measurement to gain insight into, and make judgements about, the effectiveness and efficiency of our programs, processes and people.
We measure our progress in meeting strategic goals and outcomes, gather and analyse performance data and then use that data to drive improvements and successfully measure the deployment of actions into outcomes. Our performance measures support decision making by:
- providing useful information on how efficient and effective our core processes are
- signalling if improvements are necessary
- identifying potential risk areas
- determining if our customers and stakeholders are satisfied and if we are meeting our own and the Government’s goals.
We have a well-established outcome based performance measurement framework that seeks to measure our success in delivering agreed Government goals and outcomes. Our performance measures are integrated within a monthly evaluation process that is reviewed by our Corporate Executive Leadership team.
Alignment with Government Goals
Main Roads contributes towards the achievement of four goals identified by the Western Australian Government. We achieve the delivery of these goals through an outcome based Program Management approach. There are six programs, or services, that drive outcome based decision making to achieve the delivery of services to our customers. The following table shows the alignment of each Program against the Government’s goals.
| Main Roads | Government Goal | |
|---|---|---|
| Service (Program) | Outcome | |
| Road Safety | A safe road environment | Outcome Based Service Delivery |
| Road Management | Reliable and efficient movement of people and goods | |
| Road Efficiency | ||
| State Development | Facilitate economic and regional development | State Building – Major Projects |
| Maintenance | A well maintained road network | Stronger focus on the Regions |
| Community Access | Improved community access and roadside amenity | Social and Environmental Responsibility |
Changes Since Last Report
In July 2015 the Minister for Road Safety announced the establishment of the Road Safety Commission, which replaces the Office of Road Safety and creates a new stand-alone authority. This means that Main Roads no longer includes the Office of Road Safety program as part of its outcome based measures.
The only other change to our Outcome Based Measures is that we have also taken a new approach to the collection of our customer perception survey data. This year wherever possible we have moved to on-line survey responses rather than the traditional telephone based surveys. A further explanation is provided below.
Understanding Community Perception Measures
Four of the measures are derived from an annual Community Perceptions Survey that reflects the satisfaction levels of customers in both metropolitan and rural areas of the State. These results are used to ensure that Main Roads’ projects and customer service initiatives are targeted at the areas of greatest need.
Through the use of an external research company, the data was collected by way of online interviews using a developed structured questionnaire and some telephone interviews in regional areas to ensure the minimum sample target was reached. The results are based upon a random and representative sample of 1 376 people (625 in the Metropolitan area and 751 in rural areas with a minimum of 100 from each Region). When extending these results to estimate the percentage of satisfied Western Australians, the overall sampling error is +/- 2.64% at the 95% confidence interval. The data is also weighted to reflect the actual population distribution based on ABS statistics.
The four measures are Community Satisfaction with Main Roads, road safety, maintenance and the provision of cycleway and pedestrian facilities.
Understanding On Time and On Cost Measures
The delivery of infrastructure in a State that is as climatically and geologically diverse as Western Australia provides many challenges. Eight of our efficiency measures are based on reporting against the delivery of our contracts in terms of time and cost. To recognise the complexity in achieving this, and consistent with approaches taken in other road agencies, all reporting against these measures includes a 10% margin when calculating the final outcome.
Structure
The following provides a summary of our program outcomes and measures for each indicator showing the trend over time as well as providing a status report as to how the results for 2015-16 compared against the targets from the State Budget Papers. The remainder provides commentary on the efficiency and effectiveness indicators for each of the six outcome based programs.
Summary of Key Performance Measures and Outcomes
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 Target | 2016 Actual | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Safety Program | ||||||||
| % Community Satisfaction of road safety | 94 | 95 | 94 | 90 | 91 | |||
| Black Spot location indicator | 10.3 | 10 | 9.7 | 9.4 | 9.1 | |||
| % of contracts completed on time | 70 | 100 | 94 | 90 | 91 | |||
| % of contracts completed on budget | 95 | 94 | 94 | 90 | 98 | |||
| Road Efficiency and Road System Management Programs | ||||||||
| % Community Satisfaction | 94 | 94 | 96 | 90 | 91 | |||
| Road network permitted for use by heavy vehicles | B Double -27.5m % | 97 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 98 | ||
| Double RT -27.5m % | 97 | 97 | 97 | 6 | 97 | |||
| Double RT-36.5m % | 79 | 79 | 80 | 78 | 80 | |||
| Triple RT-53.5m % | 44 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 45 | |||
| % Network configuration | Roads | 89 | 90 | 91 | 90 | 91 | ||
| Bridges | Strength | 88 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 90 | ||
| Width | 95 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 96 | |||
| % of contracts completed on time | 86 | 89 | 72 | 90 | 100 | |||
| % of contracts completed on budget | 100 | 84 | 100 | 90 | 97 | |||
| Average $ cost of network management per million vehicle km travelled | 3,907 | 4,256 | 4,829 | 5,349 | 5,358 | |||
| State Development Program | ||||||||
| Average return on construction expenditure | 3.1 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | |||
| % of contracts completed on time | 100 | 75 | 100 | 90 | 100 | |||
| % of contracts completed on budget | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 | 100 | |||
| Road Maintenance Program | ||||||||
| % Smooth Travel Exposure | 97 | n/a | 96 | n/a | n/a | |||
| % Community Satisfaction road maintenance | 84 | 90 | 95 | 90 | 88 | |||
| % Preventative maintenance indicator | 87 | 86 | 86 | 84 | 87 | |||
| Average $ cost of network maintenance per lane kilometre of road network | 6,827 | 5,493 | 6,075 | 7,700 | 7,518 | |||
| Community Access Program | ||||||||
| % of the year that 100% of the Main Roads’ State road network is available | 94 | 96 | 87 | 85 | 87 | |||
| % Community satisfaction with cycleways and pedestrian facilities | 83 | 85 | 76 | 90 | 83 | |||
| % of contracts completed on time | 80 | 75 | 83 | 90 | 91 | |||
| % of contracts completed on budget | 80 | 50 | 92 | 90 | 100 | |||
Road Safety
Outcome: Providing a Safe Road Environment
This program seeks to reduce the State’s road fatality rate to the lowest in Australia by minimising road factors contributing to road trauma and reducing the serious crash injury rate. We demonstrate this through the following measures:
Effectiveness Indicators
Community Satisfaction with Road Safety
This indicator represents how satisfied the community is with Main Roads’ overall performance in the area of road safety. The survey results show that although Main Roads’ usually high performance has dropped since 2015, the result of 91% of survey participants rating it as okay or better remains above the target of 90%. Ratings across the regions have remained fairly steady and above the target of 90%. Goldfields Esperance showed the greatest area of improvement.
Black Spot Location Indicator
The indicator gives a measure of the number of locations on the road network that meet State Black Spot criteria based on an analysis of crash history. The measure uses a sliding window to determine whether the number of locations eligible for funding is increasing or decreasing, taking into account the amount of travel in the State. Last year the results for the four year period 2009 to 2012 were recast to incorporate new information made available by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that amends the vehicle kilometres travelled input. This resulted in the 2015 result being amended from 9.2 to 9.7. Including this revised information ensures that the results over time remain accurate and comparable. The four year trend continues to shows a gradual decline in the number of eligible black spot locations with the current result once again being the lowest recorded since the implementation of the Black Spot program in 2001, coming in below the estimated target.
Efficiency Indicators
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Time
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on time in the Road Safety Program. The result achieved was 91% of contracts delivered on time which is above the target 90%. Of the four contracts that were late two are still in progress. Of the remaining two, one was late as a result of the contractor not allocating sufficient resources to the project and no extension of time was granted. The final contract was delayed whilst corrective works were put in place, an extension of time was not granted for the period of these works.
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Budget
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on budget in the Road Safety Program. The result achieved was 98% of contracts delivered on cost which is above the target of 90%. One contract was over budget, this arose from an increase in the scope of works for the project along with delays arising from bad weather and increased costs for moving electrical services. The contract is currently being reviewed to determine if further variations should be issued however, at the time of preparing this report it remains over budge
Efficiency and Road System Management
Outcome: Reliable and Efficient Movement of People and Goods
The Efficiency Program seeks to improve the efficiency, capacity and utilisation of the existing road network whilst the Road System Management Program seeks to optimise real-time management of the network, provide traveller information, asset management planning and to support service delivery throughout the organisation. Together these programs contribute to achieving the outcome. We demonstrate this through the following measures:
Effectiveness Indicators
Community Satisfaction
This indicator represents how satisfied the community is with Main Roads’ overall performance in the management and operation of the State road network. The survey results show that Main Roads overall performance remains high with 91% of respondents rating Main Roads’ performance as okay or better exceeding the target of 90%. Survey results show that overall performance ratings are broadly consistent across the regions. The only two regions to drop below the target of 90% were South West and Wheatbelt.
Road Network Permitted for use by Heavy Freight Vehicles
This indicator relates to the efficient movement of goods within Western Australia and the percentage of available State roads accessed by B-Doubles, Double road trains and Triple road trains. The use of larger vehicles with greater payloads can increase the overall efficiency of freight transport operations, resulting in lower transport costs. However, to maintain road safety and guard against infrastructure damage, restrictions are placed on some trucks. Because of the relatively high efficiency of these vehicles, the proportion of roads accessible to them is an important factor in the overall efficiency of freight transport in this State. Over the past four years the trend has remained relatively consistent with most minor fluctuations in results attributed to changes in ownership of roads between State and Local Government and very minor variations with access categorisation.
| Type of Vehicle | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | Target | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B Double - 27.5m | 97 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 98 |
| Double Road Train - 27.5m | 97 | 97 | 97 | 96 | 97 |
| Double Road Train - 36.5m | 79 | 79 | 80 | 78 | 80 |
| Triple Road Train - 53.5m | 44 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 45 |
Network Configuration - Roads
This indicator shows the percentage of travel undertaken on roads meeting specific criteria for seal width, carriageway width and curve rating. The indicator gives a measure of the ability of Main Roads to plan for and maintain roads to desirable standards. In 2016, 91% of travel was undertaken on roads meeting the seal width, carriageway width and curve rating criteria which is in line with the target of 90%. The results over the four-year period are relatively consistent and demonstrate that Main Roads continues to plan and program works to address roads that are below the criteria.
Network Configuration - Bridges
Similar to the roads measure, bridges are assessed for strength and width using agreed investigatory criteria. The monitoring of bridge strength and width needs to ensure a safe and efficient road network relating to improved access and transport efficiencies. These measures are indicators for the number of bridges that meet, or are above, the investigatory criteria, recorded as a percentage of the total number of bridges on main roads and highways. Therefore, the percentage of bridges meeting these network configuration criteria should continue to rise but only slightly in future years. All bridges that do not meet the investigatory criteria for strength or width are considered in assessing, scoping and prioritising works, as part of the ten year bridge strategy.
Strength - The results of this indicator show that 90% of the bridges meet the agreed criteria for strength against a target of 89%.
Width - In relation to width 96% of bridges meet the criteria against a target of 95%.
Efficiency Indicators
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Time
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on time in the Road Efficiency Program. Whilst the target was established at 90%, the result achieved was 100% of contracts delivered on time.
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Budget
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on budget in the Road Efficiency Program. The result achieved was 97% of contracts delivered on cost which is above the target of 90%. One contract was over budget, following assessment by the contract manager a contract variation will be issued however, at the time of preparing this report it remains over budget.
Average Cost of Network Management
This indicator measures the financial efficiency of the Road System Management program in terms of cost per million vehicle kilometres travelled to manage the road system. In order to compare current figures with previous years all figures have been adjusted and reported in terms of current year’s dollars. In respect of the current year the result of $5,358 per million vehicle kilometres travelled is higher than the target of $5,349. The trend for this measure continues to reflect an increase in the provision of services particularly arising from the focus on addressing congestion with non-built solutions.
State Development
Outcome: Facilitating Economic and Regional Development
This program expands the road network in accordance with State and Commonwealth transport and land use strategies that will facilitate the economic and regional development of the State. We demonstrate this through the following measures:
Effectiveness Indicators
Return on Construction Expenditure
New road and bridge construction networks add to the capacity of the road network. Return on Construction Expenditure is based on Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) estimates of a set of projects undertaken each year. It indicates the extent to which road and bridge construction expenditure will deliver future economic benefits to the community. This indicator represents the expenditure weighted BCR for the State Development Program and Road Efficiency program for which a BCR has been calculated. The BCR came in on target for 2015-16 with an expenditure weighted average result of 4.2 being achieved against the target of 4.3.
Efficiency Indicators
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Time
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on time in the State Development Program. The result achieved was 100% of contracts being delivered on time against a target of 90%.
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Budget
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on budget in the State Development Program. The result achieved was 100% of contracts being delivered on budget against a target of 90%.
Road Maintenance
Outcome: Providing a Well Maintained Road Network
This program seeks to maintain the existing road and bridge network by maximising asset life and minimising whole of life costs. We demonstrate this through the following measures:
Effectiveness Indicators
Community Satisfaction of Road Maintenance
This indicator represents how satisfied the community is with Main Roads overall performance in the maintenance of the State road network. The survey results show that Main Roads rating has decreased since last year with 88% of survey participants rating it as okay or better, coming in below the target of 90% for the first time in three years. Regionally, the highest ratings were in the Pilbara and Metropolitan region, which both improved over the last year.
Preventative Maintenance Indicator
The Preventative Maintenance Indicator provides a measure of the proportion of sealed state road network which has a surfacing age younger than its optimal target age. The indicator provides a measure of proactive maintenance undertaken on the network on an annual basis, sections of the network with a surfacing age younger than target age are classified as ‘Good’. This year the analysis shows that 87% of the network is considered good which is above the target of 84% and is consistent with the last four years results.
Smooth Travel Exposure
This indicator is based on the percentage of travel undertaken on the State road network meeting specific roughness criteria. In 2011 it was agreed to only capture the data used for this reporting on a biennial basis. The period 2015-16 is a non-reporting period, the next result will be reported in 2016-17.
Efficiency Indicators
Average Cost of Network Maintenance per Lane Kilometre of Road Network
This indicator identifies the financial efficiency of road and roadside maintenance works by showing the cost per lane kilometre to maintain acceptable travel conditions on the State roads. In determining the cost basis expenditure on structures and infrastructure depreciation has been excluded. In order to compare current figures with previous years all figures have been adjusted and reported in terms of current year’s dollars which can influence the trend result. This year’s result shows a variance of just over 2% against the target with the result being lower than estimated. One contributor towards the lower result is that the projected increase in lane kilometres did not occur, in fact due to transfers of roads to Local Government the number of lane kilometres actually reduced. Another contributing factor again was the impact of unfunded natural disasters accounting for around 4% of costs.
Community Access
Outcome: Improving Community Access and Roadside Amenity
This program seeks to provide infrastructure that will increase personal mobility and community access. We demonstrate this through the following measures:
Effectiveness Indicators
Unplanned Road Closure on the State Road Network
Generally 100% of Main Roads Road sealed network is available to all road users; however, there are unplanned road closures due to a number of reasons including flooding, cyclones, major bushfires and major road accidents, which may vary in duration. The availability of the sealed road network is measured as a percentage of calendar days that the whole network is available to the road user. Closure is determined by measuring the number of whole days (24 hours commencing from the time the road is closed) that any section of the sealed road network is closed. This year the road network was available 87% of the year which exceeds the 85% target.
Community Satisfaction with Cycleways and Pedestrian Facilities
This indicator represents how satisfied the community is with Main Roads’ performance in the construction, maintenance and management of cycleways and pedestrian facilities. The survey result shows that Main Roads rating has improved since last year achieving 83% of survey participants rating it as okay or better, the highest result of the past four years. Perceptions across the regions have largely increased since last year however Kimberley, South West and Wheatbelt have all experienced declines from last year.
Efficiency Indicators
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Time
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts that were delivered on time in the Community Access Program. The result achieved was 91% of contracts delivered on time which is above the target of 90%. Only one contract was late and this was due to a delay in the commissioning of lighting along a principal shared path on Guildford Road, an extension of time was not granted to the contractor for the delay.
Percentage of Contracts Completed on Budget
This indicator represents the percentage of contracts delivered on budget in the Community Access Program. The result achieved was 100% which is above the target of 90%.