Rail Reform in Australia Aims to Strengthen National Network

Australia is working to unify rail operating rules nationwide to increase safety, cut costs, and improve freight movement across its growing transport system. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

In 2023, chickpea prices rose above $1,000 per tonne, prompting farmers to rely on trains for fast delivery. But many missed market deadlines because qualified rail crews were unavailable.

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GrainCorp’s Alex Donnelly explained that traders can’t commit without reliable access to rail, especially when quick action is needed to secure premium rates.

Freight operators across Australia deal with 12 separate safeworking rulebooks. Each uses different terminology, role descriptions, and safety procedures.

Nicholas Angelos from Qube warned that this complexity slows deployment, undermines safety, and reduces economic gains from high-demand periods.

More than one-third of Australia’s rail safety workforce operates under multiple rulebooks. In the broader supply chain, 43% of workers manage responsibilities across several networks.

The Australasian Railway Association estimates this fragmentation adds $12.4 million annually in redundant training costs. These inefficiencies limit workforce flexibility and discourage new entrants.

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To fix this, the National Transport Commission (NTC) is developing a unified set of National Network Rules. These aim to ease training demands, enhance interoperability, and simplify nationwide workforce deployment.

NTC’s Michael Hopkins emphasized that current systems require train crews to master up to seven sets of rules. Aligning standards will lower risks, reduce costs, and make it easier for workers to move between regions.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) is already consolidating its procedures under a National Safeworking Framework. It aims to introduce new technologies while retiring outdated, isolated rules.

This initiative supports the broader National Rail Action Plan (NRAP), which targets integration across Australia’s 18 disconnected rail systems.

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The reform process includes comparing nine major rulebooks, identifying areas for standardization, and assessing human impacts with industry and union partners.

Artificial intelligence, including Large Language Models, will help speed up rule alignment across Australia’s vast rail network.

Past voluntary harmonization efforts failed. But new recommendations under Rail Safety National Law call for legally mandated training standards and a unified competency system.

Hopkins and other leaders agree that rail can rival road freight only through simplified national rules and training systems.

Australia’s future rail system must be integrated, safe, and efficient to meet the rising demand from cities, ports, and industries. The time for change is now.

Source: www.railexpress.com.au

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