National Rail Action Plan

Australia’s rail system is made up of 18 rail networks with three gauges, 11 signalling systems, and countless different working rules and standards. 

This drives up the cost of running trains, upgrading networks and attracting skilled workers. It also prevents rail from realising the full safety and productivity benefits of new digital train control systems.

Instead of operating as individual networks, the National Rail Action Plan is supporting rail to now operate as one national interconnected system. 

Greater harmonisation will help to improve the safety, frequency and reliability of passenger services. While making rail freight more competitive and better able to support local industries and major exports.

It means that rail can play a bigger role in the nation’s economy and help Australia meet its net zero emissions targets.

By bringing together industry and government, we can get alignment and greater consistency across rail networks. This will:

• increase the safety and productivity of rail operations

• lower costs

• support workforce mobility

• encourage the uptake of new technology and innovation

• provide opportunities for local manufacturers 

• prepare the sector for decarbonisation and fast rail in the future.

National Cabinet has recognised the importance of creating a connected rail system by including rail interoperability as one of eight national priorities.
Australia’s transport ministers have tasked the NTC with a four-year rail reform program that focuses on five priority areas: 

1. Aligning train control and signalling technology starting with the eastern seaboard
2. Locking in standards and rules to make rail more competitive
3. Reducing the regulatory burden on the rail workforce
4. Streamlining rolling stock approval processes 
5. Creating solutions to meet future rails skills demand.

Improving rail interoperability and harmonisation has support from across the rail sector.  Rail infrastructure managers (RIMs), operators, suppliers, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and all Australian state and territory governments have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC). 

By signing the MoC, they agree to consider national rail interoperability ahead of future network investments and decisions. 

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To identify rail corridors where interoperability is a key priority, we have developed the National Network for Interoperability (NNI). 

The NNI identifies the interstate freight and passenger lines linking Australia’s major ports, regions and passenger terminals. An interactive NNI map shows the individual networks which make up these corridors and the organisations which manage them. As well as the interfaces between networks where achieving interoperability is crucial to improving the safety and efficiency of Australia’s railways.

Much of Australia’s national rail reform through NRAP is focused on improving the productivity, safety and sustainability on these key national rail corridors.

The map is live and will be updated regularly as freight and passenger networks expand and evolve. 

The interactive digital version can be found here.
We are seeking feedback, which can be provided by email to the NRAP team at nrap-secretariat@ntc.gov.au 

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We are also developing a national approach to harmonising rail standards, operating rules and processes.

Standards set out procedures and specifications to help safety and performance in the rail sector. They underpin all elements of the NRAP program.

The rail industry has told us that more prescriptive national standards are needed to make real change across the sector and drive interoperability. 

Through NRAP, we are building a National Rail Standards Framework. The Framework will include Australia’s first mandatory performance-based interoperability standards as well as new institutional arrangements to develop and deliver them.

The mandatory standards will focus on:

• aligning digital train control technology
• ensuring a single onboard interface for drivers and crew
• streamlining rolling stock approvals processes.

The Framework will also include common standards, rules and processes to harmonise infrastructure, train componentry, operating rules and skills training. 

Broad uptake of these standards will:

• support local manufacturing and supply chains to grow scale
• improve safety and productivity
• improve workforce portability and reduce the cost and time lost to training
• encourage innovation, preparing the sector for decarbonisation and fast rail in the future.

Previously adoption of national and international standards has been limited. To understand why, the NTC, the ARA, the Office of National Rail Industry Coordination (ONRIC) and the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (Australia)(RISSB)  commissioned the Harmonisation of Rail Standards research report.

The report looks at the obstacles to adoption including:

• network legacy differences
• cost
• a risk averse culture 

It also identifies opportunities for greater harmonisation of standards across the rail sector and proposes the establishment of a National Rail Standards Harmonisation Strategy.

Findings from the report will help the development of the National Rail Standards Framework and new governance for rail in Australia. 

You can read the full report here. And a summary report here.

Mandatory standards and other interoperability requirements will be implemented through recommended changes to Australia's Rail Safety National Law (RSNL).

Until now, the law has required RIMs and operators to meet performance standards, so far as is reasonably practicable.

A recent RSNL review recommended that interoperability provisions be included in the law. This will give the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) a more active role in advancing interoperability.

Legislating these amendments will take time and will require a full impact assessment involving external consultation. This is currently being scoped.

In the meantime, Australia's transport and infrastructure ministers have asked the NTC to develop a requirement for rail transport operators to have an Interoperability Management Plan (IMP) as a regulatory provision in the RSNL National Regulations.  This will require them to show that they have identified and considered interoperability impacts when making changes to their network.

The IMP is an important first step to get industry thinking about their individual networks as part of a bigger integrated system.

If you'd like to express interest in the National Rail Action Plan and program, or ask us a question about our work, send us an email as we'd like to hear from you.