Agonis Group and Jacobs Australia have been appointed to conduct a study on the recommissioning of sections of Tier 3 freight rail lines in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region, following a tender process conducted earlier this year.
The Narrogin-Kulin-Wickepin Tier 3 Recommissioning Study will provide clarity on the engineering, economic and network potential of recommissioning sections of the Tier 3 Narrogin-Kulin-Wickepin rail lines.
Agonis Group has been appointed to deliver a capital cost estimation of recommissioning the lines, while Jacobs Australia has been tasked to deliver an economic assessment of the project and collate all study components into a final report.
As part of the economic assessment, Jacobs Australia will consult with key stakeholders including Co-operative Bulk Handling, local shires, rail and road freight operators, local grain and export commodity producers, and community members.
The study and the first stage of works will be funded through a $72 million allocation from Package 1 of the $200m Agricultural Supply Chain Improvement (ASCI) Program, jointly funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments.
Transport minister Rita Saffioti said the State Government was committed to supporting rail and road infrastructure that provides significant social, economic and environmental benefits for regional WA.
“The Narrogin-Kulin-Wickepin Tier 3 Recommissioning Study will give us the valuable data and insights we need to make informed decisions about this investment in the region’s freight network,” she said.
“It will give us clear advice on what it will take to get rail freight services back into this area, which currently lacks access to the efficient WA rail freight network.
“We want to secure the best return on investment we can from ASCI project funding and this study will help us ensure that our funding decisions are based on thorough consultation with the community and the affected industries.”
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