ARA calls for swift implementation of Inland Rail review recommendations

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has called for the speedy implementation of the Inland Rail review recommendations, stating that failing to do so would pose a risk to the viability of the project and undermine efforts to increase rail freight use in Australia. 

The rail industry expressed that the timely adoption of the 19 recommendations made by Dr Kerry Schott will deliver certainty for rail freight operators and the wider supply chain and maximise the significant benefits of the project. 

The Inland Rail project, which is a 1700 km track directly linking Brisbane to Melbourne, will transform Australia’s freight networks, significantly improve supply chain efficiency and road safety, and support growing export markets for the country. 

It will enable freight to move from Brisbane to Melbourne in less than 24 hours on double-stacked trains, reducing freight costs and improving supply chains by getting products to market more quickly – benefiting the Australian economy. 

ARA Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie stated that failure to deliver Inland Rail quickly and efficiently will see more trucks on the road and undermine the rail industry’s efforts to support a more sustainable national freight network. 

“Continued uncertainty about the project will make it harder for freight operators to plan and for complimentary businesses to invest along the route,” Wilkie said. 

Wilkie emphasised that Inland Rail is essential transport infrastructure if Australia is to dramatically reduce pollution from trucks traveling on the country’s east coast highways, support Australia’s net-zero targets, and ultimately achieve a sustainable transport system. 

It will also support regional development and create employment opportunities for local communities across several states. 

ARA strongly supported the recommendation for Inland Rail to be established as a subsidiary company, which would enable ARTC to focus on the management and resilience of the wider national rail freight network. The review confirmed the project’s critical role in moving more freight on rail, reducing emissions and boosting supply chains. 

Wilkie said it was reassuring to hear that the Government is committed to delivering the entire track, and it is critical that there is certainty around the route beyond Parkes. She also stated that the implementation of the review’s recommendations should not distract from work already underway and should provide a clearer path forward for the remainder of the project. 

Inland Rail is set to be the backbone of a sustainable national freight supply chain, with each train able to carry the same amount of consumer goods and resources as 110 B-double trucks.