The Rail Freight Executive Committee (RFEC) met on Wednesday for the first time to discuss plans for the ARA and members to deliver a comprehensive advocacy and government relations program to progress the findings of the Future of Freight report project launched late last year.  Members canvassed ideas on leveraging major terminal developments to profile the benefits of warehousing and rail co-location, exploring a reinvigorated Parliamentary Friends of Rail group and opportunities to revisit proactive advocacy on the Inland Rail north-of-Parkes completion, with freight customers and infrastructure partners in South East Queensland.

Members across the greater Sydney area are also working closely with the ARA team on interesting site visits for Monday 8 April prior to the ARA Rail Freight Conference on 9 -10 April, which will showcase new projects recently commissioned or those soon-to-be operationalised which will impact freight operations across the East Coast.

The meeting agenda also included an updated from the National Transport Research Organisation’s (NTRO) Natalie Loughborough and a presentation by Charlotte Stanfield on DeutscheBahn’s global journey to net zero emissions. The group also discussed industry preparation for the forthcoming national level crossing safety roundtable and rail freight input to the NSW Freight Policy Reform Program being led by independent panellists Dr Kerry Schott AO, Lucio Di Bertolomeo and Dr Hermione Parsons.

The Committee also welcomed TasRail to provide representation.