The AusLink White Paper – ‘Building our National Transport Future’ (Endnote1) – stated:  

• road and rail infrastructure is essential for Australia’s economic and social future. It must be efficient, reliable, safe and secure;
• demands on Australia’s transport infrastructure are forecast to increase substantially by 2020 – the transport task will become more complex as traffic volumes rise;
• Australia’s population is changing – increasing pressure on urban and regional links while social and environmental costs of land transport are rising.

AusLink implemented a comprehensive national land transport plan allocating $15 billion for roads and rail over  5 years to 2008/09.

A further $22.3 billion has been set aside for 2009/10 – 2013/14

The faster growth of non-bulk traffic is due in part to:

• efforts made to increase rail productivity through the introduction of (Endnote 5):
  • longer trains and higher axle load limits;
  • more efficient use of tracks including investment in longer passing loops and longer sidings in terminals; and
  • continuing improvements to signalling systems and installation of concrete sleepers allowing higher speeds and shorter gaps between trains;
• arresting the decline of rail in past 30 years due to poor public policies on transport; inappropriate industry structures; and a history of poor rail industry performance.
• deregulation of domestic markets and other micro-economic reform when added to specific transport sector reforms have lead to a significant increase to road transport’s share of non-bulk traffic as well as a transfer of grain from rail to road on many regional routes.(Endnote 6)
• substantial increase in larger road vehicles resulting from (Endnote 7):
  • reviews of road limits;
  • new national heavy vehicle standards including increases in concessional mass limits;
  • relaxed availability of permits for B-Doubles and road trains.
• increased specialisation in production and changed supply chain operations involving (Endnote 8):
  • changed warehousing and national distribution of products; and
  • increased use of just-in-time stock management systems involving door-to-door delivery and more intensive transport.

The adequacy of rural intra-state rail lines, used mainly for grain traffic, has been an ongoing issue for some time.
Traditionally rail has carried the major share of bulk grain from rural areas to the ports. This is a seasonal task with volumes of grain dependent on climatic conditions. The declining condition of many rural branch lines has seen an increasing transfer of grain to road.

The demise of rail freight reduces community safety and threatens environmental values (Endnote 9). The increasing size and volume of trucks on local government roads in rural areas has caused a significant deficit in maintenance of local roads.

The Victorian government initiated a review of the Victorian rail freight network in 2007. The resultant report, ‘Switchpoint: The template for rail freight to revive and thrive’ followed extensive consultation with stakeholders. These consultations made it clear that ‘there is overwhelmingly strong support for rail freight by the general community, industry, farmers, local government and port authorities’ (Endnote 10).

In Australia’s capital cities, private motor vehicles are the heavily preferred mode of passenger transport but passenger demand is a significant driver of rail infrastructure requirements.

Urban rail and tram services play an important role in moving commuters to and from work and university/school during peak periods. Passenger journeys have steadily increased from 596 million to 665.87 million in the five years to 2006/07 (Endnote 11).  Significant increases in petrol prices has seen many more commuters getting out of their cars and using public transport.

The level of passenger demand on urban rail systems has implications for both traffic levels on urban road systems and the capability of urban rail systems to handle freight traffic. This competing use for infrastructure imposes significant economic, social and environmental costs.

Passenger transport is discussed in greater detail in the separate information sheet on ‘Australia’s Land Transport Task – Passenger’.

Efficient, reliable, safe and secure road and rail infrastructure is essential for Australia’s economic and social future (Endnote 1). It is impossible to divorce one form of transport infrastructure or connectivity from another and the answer lies in an integrated national land transport system.

The February 2008 Commonwealth government decision to establish Infrastructure Australia to coordinate Australia’s infrastructure provision for transport (and energy, water and telecommunications) supports and builds on the transport policy framework introduced under AusLink. A key first step will audit the adequacy of Australia’s infrastructure and develop an Infrastructure Priority List within 12 months for consideration by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) (Endnote 12).

The Australian Transport Council (ATC) have agreed that ‘Australia requires a safe, secure, efficient, reliable and integrated national transport system that supports and enhances our nation’s economic development and social and environmental well-being’.

Guiding objectives and principles for achieving a national approach to transport have also been adopted and individual Ministers have responsibility for developing various aspects within the reform program for future consideration by COAG and the ATC (Endnote 13).