Federal infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester has invited the private sector to register its interest in the design, construction, delivery and financing of the Inland Rail project.
The project will connect Melbourne to Brisbane via an inland freight line, avoiding the Sydney region.
Private sector involvement in the delivery of Inland Rail will be in partnership with Australian Rail Track Corporation, Chester said.
The ARTC is concurrently seeking expressions of interest for technical engineering and environmental approval services for the project.
Chester said the corporation will undertake “robust wide-ranging public consultation and engagement throughout the market testing process”.
“This is the crucial next phase in ensuring Inland Rail is construction ready.
“The Inland Rail project has the potential to deliver real benefits to our farmers, primary producers and manufacturers.
“The project will provide a high performance and direct interstate rail corridor between Melbourne and Brisbane, enabling freight operators to avoid the congested Sydney network and get goods to market quickly.”
Further information on the market testing process, including the Terms of Reference, are available at www.finance.gov.au/market-testing/Inland-Rail/.
Further information on the ARTC Expressions of Interests process can be found at www.tenderlink.com/inlandrail.
What private sector companies will be interested? Rail freight has only 15% of the Sydney to Melbourne market and 8-9% of the Sydney to Brisbane market. Private companies are only interested in the above rail market and not the below rail infrastructure.
Craig,
NTR Is one private company that is interested.
http://nationaltrunkrail.com/
NTR’s vision is to deliver an integrated, 1600km high speed standard gauge trunk rail system linking the Melbourne and Brisbane ports.
NTR’s “whole of supply chain” solution is in lieu of the Federal Government’s under-funded Australian Rail Track Corporation proposal.
NTR will set new standards for long haul freight efficiency and reliability while facilitating the export of agricultural and mineral resources from regions as far as 800km from the ports of Melbourne and Brisbane.
NTR has invested three years and more than $10 million to research the best design for a 21st century inland rail solution.
The NTR solution is shorter, flatter and straighter than the ARTC proposal.
It will also be faster.