Leaders from the rail sector have formed key partnerships with representatives from federal, state and territory governments to progress work on the National Rail Action Plan.
The National Rail Action Plan aims to ensure the sector has the skills and labour required to build and operate an efficient and safe rail network.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) has established three industry and government working groups to deliver the plan, which was agreed by the Transport and Infrastructure Council in 2019.
Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Railway Association, Caroline Wilkie, will co-chair a Skills and Labour Working Group with Tony Braxton-Smith, CEO of the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.
Simon Ormsby, Group Executive Strategy at the Australian Rail Track Corporation, will co-chair a group on interoperability with the NTC Chair, Carolyn Walsh.
Deb Spring, CEO of the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board, will co-chair a working group on harmonising national standards with Ben Phyland from the Victorian Department of Transport.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said industry and government would work together to improve Australia’s rail system by continuing to align and harmonise operating rules, infrastructure and operational standards and systems across the national network.
“These working groups are the latest step to getting on with the job and implementing the vision as part of the partnership with experienced and respected industry and government professionals,” Mr McCormack said.
The National Rail Action Plan complements the ten-year, $10 billion National Rail Program, which is designed to help make Australia’s cities more liveable and efficient as they grow.
The plan also aims to reduce the burden on roads, provide more reliable transport networks and support efforts to decentralise our economy and grow regional Australia.
“The National Rail Action Plan will also support the work Government is doing with industry to boost the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as establishing an oversight group to investigate the introduction and roll-out of the Advanced Train Management System.”
View more information on the National Rail Action Plan here, and on the Federal Government’s National Rail Program here.
