<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> </span> <p><strong>Halcrow wins Moreton Bay Rail Link contract</strong><br />International transport and infrastructure consultancy Halcrow has won a contract from Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) to carry out a complete demand forecast for the proposed Moreton Bay rail link north of Brisbane.</p><p>Halcrow’s work will form part of the financial and economic studies commissioned by DTMR. The preliminary report is due by the end of January, with work on the four-year construction project itself due to start in 2012.</p><p><strong>China’s US$526bn spend</strong><br />China is reportedly planning to spend US$525.9bn on its railway network over the next five years – an average of US$102bn annually – including funding for China’s high-speed rail track and upgrades to ageing railways.<br />China intends to have more than 120,000km of track by 2015, including 30,000km of new track, according to <em>english.cntv.cn.</em></p><p><strong>Security boost for VIC trains</strong><br />In the lead up to the Victorian election, premier John Brumby has announced a major security boost for the state’s rail network including a promise to increase staff at every electrified metropolitan station and a central CCTV control room.</p><p>As part of the Victorian Transport Plan (VTP), Brumby also announced $82.5m towards a grade separation of the Main Road level crossing in St Albans. <br />Other public transport funding pledges reportedly include$56 m for additional park and ride spaces across metropolitan stations $135.3m for 20 additional VLocity train carriages $39.8m for 20 minute off-peak frequencies on the Geelong line and $800,000 for new Parkiteer bike cages at train stations.<br /><br /><strong>Russia’s HSR study</strong><br />A report setting out the functional requirements for a Moscow-St Petersburg high-speed line will reportedly be completed by the start of 2011.</p><p>The VSZhM-1 high speed line is being designed for running at up to 400 km/h to cut the 660 km journey to 2½ hours and could serve airports in Moscow and St Petersburg to boost the development of multi-modal transport throughout northwest Russia, it was reported. The line has an estimated cost of 1&bull2tn roubles, </p><p><strong>Review of China’s HSR network</strong><br />China’s Ministry of Railways is reportedly reviewing plans to expand its high-speed network, following a report on the project.</p><p>The Chinese Academy of Sciences submitted a report to the nation’s State Council suggesting a rethink about the practicality and affordability of the high-speed rail network, it was reported.</p><p>China plans to increase its high-speed track to 13,000km by the end of 2012 and to 18,000km by 2020 from the current 3,676km<br /> </p>
