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This week has marked a landmark moment for Australia’s rail future with Infrastructure and Transport Ministers agreeing to bring the country’s national rail system under one digital signalling technology – the European Train Control System (ETCS). Having a single technology pathway will boost productivity, improve safety, and deliver more seamless freight and passenger connections between our cities, regions, and ports.
It means that from now on, all new digital signalling investments on the National Network for Interoperability must meet mandatory ETCS standards – driving economic, safety and environmental benefits nationwide.
At their meeting on Monday, Ministers also agreed to:
- a new governance model to drive the development and implementation of national rail standards
- progress a national pathway for streamlining rollingstock approvals, making it easier to introduce efficient, safer, and low-emission trains onto our networks.
These significant decisions for national rail reform are the result of strong collaboration across the rail industry. This unified approach will help us avoid the “digital equivalent” of different rail gauges – a problem that has plagued Australia for more than 170 years.
Our CEO, Michael Hopkins, said that while a lot of work has gone into identifying the costs and benefits of a unified approach, there’s still more to do to ensure Australia’s transition to a modern, consistent national rail system is well-planned and delivers the greatest value for all.
The NTC will continue to develop mandatory standards, while harmonised standards that support interoperability will be led by a revitalised Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (Australia).
Over the coming months, we’ll work closely with governments and industry on the detail, leading to a Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) in late 2025/26.
We’re also working with our partners to coordinate the deployment of ETCS technology on tracks and trains. And to ensure we have a nationally recognised ETCS curriculum so workers trained on one network can use their skills across the country.
We’d like to thank everyone across the rail industry for the collaborative effort that led this weeks decision.
It’s all part of the National Rail Action Plan working in partnership to make Australia’s rail systems simpler, safer and better.
To find out more here.