ARA calls for greater support for congestion-busting rail options
27 February 2019
The
ARA is calling for the Australian
government to play a more significant role in supporting and promoting
passenger and freight
rail infrastructure in the 2019-20 federal budget.
Australia’s population growth is making rail transport an essential
component of addressing Australia’s growing public transport and freight
needs.
“Cities are increasingly looking to integrated transport systems that
link high-capacity metro systems with current rail networks,
light rail,
regional rail and other transport modes to encourage active and engaged
community based lifestyles,” said ARA CEO Danny Broad.
“Rail provides the backbone of public transport systems, for our growing
cities” he said.
“Similarly, Australia’s growing population requires an increased
allocation of goods, adding pressure on our freight networks. Rail
freight provides a cost-effective, safe and environmentally sound
solution for reducing congestion from heavy vehicles on urban, regional
and interstate
roads. Rail freight will need to play a greater role in the future
to meet Australia’s increasing freight task and to maintain our
international competitiveness,” he concluded.
The ARA’s National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia
presents a compelling case for a more collaborative approach between
Australian governments and the rail industry to overcome inefficiencies
inherent in our federal system.
Specific programs that have been identified in the ARA’s submission for
funding include
-
Resourcing the Australian and New Zealand Industry Pipeline to provide a comprehensive list of rail projects to allow better industry planning for new rail infrastructure and rolling stock;
-
Supporting a high level task force of the rail industry, governments and education providers to address critical skilled labour shortages and provide ‘fit-for-purpose’ training in rail construction, manufacturing, maintenance and operations;
-
Providing appropriate resources at the federal level to progress and implement measures contained in the final National Freight and Supply Chain strategy, including both infrastructure upgrades and the strengthening of regulatory frameworks;
-
Implementing independent price regulation of heavy vehicle charges. For too long we have had unequal charging and regulatory systems, placing rail at an unfair competitive disadvantage;
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Supporting passenger rail operators to comply with Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT).
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Tackling urban congestion by allowing Australians to salary sacrifice the purchase of public transport tickets, positioning public transport as a viable alternative to car travel, and
-
Taking steps to preserve and secure the corridor of land required to establish a high-speed rail link between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The ARA also provided the government with a list of rail optimisation projects to consider, where existing rail services could be enhanced.
The full submission can be found here, https://ara.net.au/sites/default/files/2019 Budget Submission Final.pdf.
--ENDS--
Source: Australasian Railway Association (ARA) - www.ara.net.au
Contact: Mal Larsen 0423 783 667
External Links: https://ara.net.au/sites/default/files/2019 Budget Submission Final.pdf.
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