<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> While our politicians prevaricate over new rail projects and wring their hands at the lack of money in the bank, in the economically inferior UK, a broad spectrum of multi-billion pounds rail projects are either underway or about to start that make all that hand wringing look just a wee bit amateurish, Mark Carter writes. </span> <p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre">But first, it appears I may have been a bit too hasty with my criticism of deputy pm and transport minister Warren Truss in my last column. </span></p><div>While the Coalition’s negative attitude to public transport funding still remains a major area of concern, Truss continues to be supportive of both the proposed Inland Rail and High-Speed Rail projects as I believe he made clear at AusRAIL.
Free energy &&semicolan fuel effficiency program for SMEs
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> The Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA) will be providing free training to SMEs across Australia on energy efficiency solutions from February-September 2014. </span> <p>The Energy Efficiency Solutions for Australian Transport Logistics SMEs is a free program open to all SMEs across the transport and logistics sector.</p><p>The program will focus on assisting SMEs to identify simple, cost effective solutions targeted to their business to reduce costs through improved energy and fuel efficiency.</p><p>The Supply Chain, Transport & Logistics sector is a high energy consumer. There are significant opportunities for reducing costs through improved energy efficiency including reductions in the usage of electricity, all types of fuels and refrigerants as well as optimisation of transport, loads, materials handling, cold chain logistics, scheduling and other efficiencies.</p><p>The program will provide targeted tools, resources and training programs tailored specifically to improve the energy efficiency of the 409,756 SMEs across Australia who warehouse, distribute and/or transport goods.</p><p>The program will be delivered face-to-face at 30 locations across every state and territory and all components will be available online and includes:</p><ul><li>Creation of a web-based ‘Energy Efficiency Assessment tool’ to assist SMEs to benchmark their energy performance against industry best practice, and understand where key opportunities to improve energy efficiency exist within their business. Each SME will receive a tailored assessment action plan, providing recommendations to cost-effectively reduce energy use. This web portal will also enable the ongoing monitoring of energy performance across the sector over time, assisting the SCLAA to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.   </li></ul><div> 
A safe and happy Christmas to our readership
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> As Rail Express signs out for the year, all of our team wish our readership a safe and happy Christmas and holiday break. </span> <div>We look forward to keeping you informed of all of the latest Australian rail news and developments when the newswire resumes on Wednesday 15 January.
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Commuters leave your car at home and save: ARA
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Australian commuters could save more than $5,400 per year by leaving their car at home and commuting to the CBD with public transport, a national review of annual commuter costs has found </span> <div>The report commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) also identifies that CBD commuters could average a saving of $9,425 by not owning a car at all or deciding not to purchase a second household car. 
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QLD on track to move more freight by rail
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Industry has welcomed the release of the Queensland Governmentâs Moving Freight strategy and its strong focus on rail. </span> <p>Australasian Railway Association (ARA) chief executive Bryan Nye commended the Newman government for taking action on establishing an important framework for the future of freight movements within Queensland, Australia’s most decentralised state. </p><div> 
Final track laid for Gold Coast light rail
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> In a significant project milestone to round out 2013, GoldLinQ will lay the final piece of track in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast light rail system this Friday. </span> <p>When the final piece of track is encased in concrete on Friday December 20, the 13km light rail Stage One will be connected between the new Gold Coast University Hospital, near Griffith University to Broadbeach.<br /><br />With 100% track connected this week it will allow the project to begin testing trams in the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach areas from early 2014 ahead of passenger services.</p><div>Before track was laid, the project revamped the city underground with 30,000km of underground services laid, which end-to-end would be the same as driving from Brisbane to Perth seven times.<br /> 
Port Botany freight efficiency set to improve
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Rail freight operations at Port Botany are set to improve with the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) welcoming its first service into its new Enfield Staging Facility this month â a port shuttle travelling between Minto and Port Botany. </span> <p>The staging facility will allow ARTC to hold and re-sequence trains, alleviating the congested Botany Rail Yard and improving the efficiency of trains entering and exiting the Port area. </p><div> 
Government to fast-track Inland Rail
<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Warren Truss, deputy prime minister and minister for infrastructure and transport, has announced the creation of a high-level Implementation Group to fast-track delivery of the Inland Rail project and ensure construction starts soon as possible. </span> <p>Reporting directly to Truss, <a id="fck_paste_padding"></a>the Implementation Group’s role will help determine construction priorities and ensure engagement with the community and stakeholders.</p><div>