News in brief – 14-20 October 2009

CBFCA urges caution over Port Botany logistics deals
By Sam Collyer
The Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia (CBFCA) has warned its members to be cautious about logistics service operators offering “solutions such as rail and road in the context of the emerging Port Botany reforms”.
The council indicated that it was aware of offers being factored into upcoming changes to the port's landside operation.
However, the CBFCA warned members that the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS) – including a peak pricing scheme – was still being discussed with Sydney Ports Corporation and other stakeholders and the strategy was yet to be finalised.
“The CBFCA's advice to members is to be wary of anybody offering foolproof and competitive solutions,” CBFCA New South Wales president John Law said.
“Entering into agreements at present means there is a potential for companies to be locked into a long-term arrangement in an environment when the reforms are very much a 'work in progress' with the medium- and long-term outcomes still not finalised.
“If more competitive solutions eventuate over time, companies may find that they become commercially disadvantaged.
“Clients could be lost because a company has entered into an inflexible agreement with service providers before it is necessary to do so and before the emerging policies have been confirmed and been put in place.”
The CBFCA is to hold a series of information sessions on the PBLIS starting with a webinar to be held on October 29th.
Source: Lloyd’s List Daily Commercial News – www.lloydslistdcn.com.au

RISSB update
The Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) invites stakeholders and the general public to comment on the first draft of the Stage 2 Rules and Procedures associated with the Australian National Rules and Procedures (ANRP) project or the National Rulebook project as it is more commonly known. The Stage 2 Rules and Procedures deal with Train Operations and will be posted on the RISSB website for one month from October 19th to November 16th.
Visit: www.rissb.com.au
For more information about the ANRP project or the Stage 2 review contact RISSB project manager Mark Felstead: 0412938425

Major UK rail link up for sale
The UK Government is reportedly planning to sell off the Channel Tunnel Rail Link – a109 kilometre rail line that links Paris, Lille and Brussels to London’s St Pancras station – as part of its plans to raise £16 billion to cut the public deficit.
While details of the sale have not been disclosed, the line was built at a cost of £5.8 billion and media reports suggest that the line could be sold for approximately £3–4 billion.
Eurotunnel, the operator of the rail link between the UK and France, has reportedly already expressed interest in buying the railway.

More cash for NSW Rail Clearways program
The NSW Government has announced it will allocate an additional $130 million for its Rail Clearways program.
The Clearways projects provide new rail lines, stabling facilities and rail turnbacks, Minister David Campbell said.
Funds will go towards current works on the duplication of the Cronulla line and the quadruplication of the line between Kingsgrove and Revesby, as well as the upcoming Quakers Hill to Schofields Duplication; Liverpool Turnback and the Macarthur Station Upgrade
Campbell said the effectiveness of the already completed Clearways projects has helped to increase the reliability of the CityRail network in the last 12 months. CityRail’s on time running over the past financial year was 95.4 per cent against a benchmark of 92 per cent, he said.

VTA unveils new general freight committee
By Rob McKay
The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) has a new general freight committee, the multimodal employer organisation has revealed.
The committee was the “engine-room of member engagement in setting the policy directions and initiatives generated by the VTA”, chief executive Philip Lovel said.
“In what is shaping to be a busy year for the association in 2010, we will rely on the [committee] to provide active advice and feedback across a broad issues spectrum, from ways to enhance productivity, including technology adoption and innovation, through to the key safety, people and environmental agendas that will shape the future of the freight transport and logistics industry.”
Peter Anderson of Border Express was given a fifth term as committee chairman with Angela Murphy of Murphy Transport Solutions re-elected as vice-chair.
Tribute was paid to VTA life member Lou Arthur, who stood down after 37 years on the committee and its predecessors.
However, the “tradition” of VTA representation by the family company L. Arthur continued with his nephew and current managing director, Vincent Arthur, being elected to the committee.
Source: Lloyd’s List Daily Commercial News – www.lloydslistdcn.com.au