<p>Freight Australia has accused the Victorian Government of foisting an "untested and unproven" safety system on the state’s regional fast rail network.</p> <p>The company said the introduction of a new train-stop enforcement system, known as the train protection warning system (TPWS), should be reviewed pending the results of a full safety case assessment. </p> <p>Freight Australia CEO Marinus van Onselen said it was a "high-risk and high-cost gamble" to introduce the TPWS system before a safety case.</p> <p>"As it stands today, we understand there are tens of millions of dollars in equipment lying around and in warehouses that the regional fast rail contractors have been told to buy and Freight Australia has been directed to install, yet we still do not know whether TPWS is a best-practice and best-safety system," Mr van Onselen said.</p> <p>He said the TPWS system has experienced very substantial teething problems in the United Kingdom – the only country to install the system.</p> <p>The state needs to consider other systems and ensure it does not act independently of other states.</p> <p>"To the extent the states all introduce different systems, this is simply another form of break of gauge as locomotives used across different networks would need to be fitted with multiple types of stop-enforcement equipment," he said.</p> <p>Freight Australia is calling for a full and independent inquiry into all aspects of Victoria’s rail network. </p> <br />
