Rail Express

		Bligh to ignore miners' stance on QR sell-off Queensland coal producers have united to bid for ownership of QR’s coal rail network in central Queensland in the face of an unyielding position from the state government.

		Standardising locos the ‘way of the future’: UGL Rail Standardising locomotives is the “way of the future” for UGL Rail and the next logical step for the Australian rail industry, according to UGL Rail chief executive Dean Jenkins.

		Feds should fix public transport, say industry and experts With congestion costing more than $10bn a year, passenger transport groups presented an action plan to fix public transport to federal transport minister Anthony Albanese on March 8th.

Other Top Stories

Congestion to cost $20bn by 2020
Road congestion could cost the economy $20bn by 2020 unless urgent action is taken, a new report shows.

QR structure the right one for all players: Hockridge
Comparisons between the de-monopolisation of Telstra and the likely structure of a listed QR National were unfair, because the markets within which the two companies operated were like "chalk and cheese", QR chief executive Lance Hockridge said on March 8th.

ACCC draft decision to reject ARTC's Hunter plan
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has signalled its rejection of proposed rail access arrangements which would affect coal shipments through the port of Newcastle.

National freight strategy in the slow lane
The Federal Government could go to the next election without a national freight strategy, with Australia's transport and logistics industry doubtful the long-awaited policy will be tabled until the end of the year.

ACCC backs junior iron ore push for rail access
Australia’s competition regulator has thrown its support behind a group of junior iron ore producers looking to collectively bargain for access to the rail tracks owned by their larger counterparts in the Pilbara region.

Rail investment to bear freight fruit: BITRE
The Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) expects rail freight timetables to change by mid-year to reflect investment in infrastructure, especially between Sydney and Melbourne.

News in Brief – 3-9 March 2010

Feature Stories

Setting the ‘bigger picture’ for the national freight task – Part One

Federal government investment into passenger rail networks across Australian cities in 2009 was unprecedented. This year, already, tells a different story.

Setting the ‘bigger picture’ for the national freight task – Part Two

Last year’s federal government investment into passenger rail networks across Australian cities, guided by Infrastructure Australia, was unprecedented. This year, already, tells a different story.