Ministerial Statement: Investigation into northeast rail long overdue

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/1727-investigation-into-northeast-rail-long-overdue.html

Investigation into northeast rail long overdue

Wednesday, 17 August 2011
From the Minister for Public Transport

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder today welcomed the long overdue decision by the Federal Government to launch a full independent inquiry by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau into operations on the northeast rail line between Melbourne, Albury and Sydney.

Mr Mulder said that in July 2010, he had written to the Australian Parliament's Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit requesting that the Australian Rail Track Corporation be audited given the numerous problems with the national standard gauge rail line between Seymour and Albury.

"When this Federal Parliamentary Committee reconvened after the 2010 Federal election, Federal Labor MPs refused to agree to my request," Mr Mulder said.

"The Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese has now belatedly agreed to this inquiry."

Mr Mulder said recent safety concerns and ongoing problems with the quality of the track upgrade demanded a full, open inquiry by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

"After ongoing problems with the condition of the track and two concerning incidents involving passenger trains in the past month, it is of the utmost importance that ATSB gets to the bottom of these important issues," Mr Mulder said.

"The ARTC has been working on the $612 million upgrade since late 2008.

"Problems including the poor standard of track works and recent safety issues need to be addressed quickly so northeast Victorians are assured their passenger trains are operating to an acceptable standard."

Mr Mulder said northeast Victorian and border residents deserved a full return of trains at a significantly improved standard than they were prior to the upgrade.

"Safety is of paramount importance on public transport. The Coalition Government is committed to ensuring that passengers travelling between Melbourne and Sydney can travel on consistently reliable and safe trains," Mr Mulder said.

The ATSB will investigate:

    the operational condition of the interstate rail track and measures being put in place to maintain the safety of rail operations where track quality is below acceptable operational standards;
    actions undertaken by the ARTC to remediate the track and address the safety of operations;
    safeworking practices in relation to the track; and,
    a systemic review of safety systems, including signalling and the quality assurance of work undertaken on the track.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

$290m loss on botched rail line

$290m loss on botched rail line
December 17, 2012
Adam Carey

WATER damage on the Melbourne-Sydney railway line has contributed to a $290 million write-down this year for the operator of Australia's interstate rail network.

The government-owned Australian Rail Track Corporation posted the large impairment loss in its 2012 annual report, despite recording a 24 per cent access revenue boost from managing the 8500-kilometre network.

In its report, the corporation noted the impairment loss, or asset write-down, was due to the poor condition of the Melbourne-Sydney corridor, which has been blighted by severe speed restrictions and safety concerns since the rail line was converted to standard gauge at the turn of the decade.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the safety of the line, which is blamed for damage to V/Line trains due to muddied ballast making a rockier ride.
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A corporation spokeswoman said the impairment loss was ''a standard accounting practice, and reflects the investment we are making in the entire north-south corridor''.

But Victoria's Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the botched $600 million conversion of the line in 2009-10 was costing rail freight operators money and travellers time.

''For V/Line passengers, the speed restrictions limiting trains to 60 or 80 kilometres an hour on parts of the Southern Cross to Albury train trip mean inevitable daily delays,'' Mr Mulder said. ''Rail freight operators' transit times are blowing out and becoming less predictable.''

He called on federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese to assure Victorians he was serious about restoring the line to much better condition.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation is spending $134 million over five years to replace fouled track ballast. It says much of the work will be done by mid-next year, and speed restrictions will be steadily removed.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/290m-loss-on-botched-rail-line-20121216-2bhwj.html