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Main article: Rail transport in Victoria
Victorian Rail Track (VicTrack)

VicTrack assets at Roxburgh Park: V/Line operated Sprinter train on Metro Trains Melbourne leased Craigieburn line to the left, and Australian Rail Track Corporation leased North East line on the right
Corporation overview
Formed1 July 1997
Preceding corporation
TypeStatutory corporation
JurisdictionVictoria
HeadquartersDocklands
Employees387 (June 2018)
Ministers responsible
Corporation executive
  • Chris Olds, Acting Chief Executive
Parent departmentDepartment of Transport and Planning
Key documents
Websitewww.victrack.com.au
Agency IDPROV VA 4616

VicTrack, trading as the Victorian Rail Track Corporation, is a Victorian Government state-owned enterprise which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia,[1] with the exception of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board's heritage Puffing Billy Railway.

VicTrack leases railway and tram land used for public transport to Public Transport Victoria which then sub-leases the assets and infrastructure to rail and tram operators, currently Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and Yarra Trams.[2] VicTrack retains responsibility for the freight lines around the Dynon Intermodal Freight Terminal, South Dynon Locomotive Depot and in North Melbourne.[3]

VicTrack also carries out a range of commercial activities on railway land, including:

  • property leasing and licensing of surplus railway land
  • providing telecommunications services using surplus railway network capacity
  • outdoor advertising
  • commercial property development
  • environmental programs on railway lands such as remediation of contaminated land.

Objective

The Transport Integration Act 2010 provides that VicTrack's primary object is "to act as the custodial owner of the State's transport-related land, infrastructure and assets" consistent with the vision statement in the Act and objectives which emphasise transport integration and sustainability. The Act also states that VicTrack's activities should be primarily directed at supporting the transport system and other purposes which support Government policy.[4]

History

Western approach to Flinders Street station

Victorian Rail Track was established on 1 July 1997 by the Rail Corporations Act 1996[5] to hold, manage and maintain railway land and infrastructure in Victoria for the Victorian Government.

In 1999, the standard gauge tracks from Melbourne to Serviceton (near the South Australian border) and to Albury (on the New South Wales border) were leased for five years to the newly formed Australian Rail Track Corporation.[6] This was later extended for another 10 years and in May 2008, for another 45 years.[7][8]

As part of the extension, the rundown and underutilised broad gauge line from Seymour to Albury that paralleled the Melbourne to Sydney line, was converted to standard gauge.[9] Included was construction of a five kilometre Wodonga Rail Bypass to eliminate 11 level crossings.[10]

In May 1999, a 45-year lease on the regional network was sold to Freight Victoria. The lease was included in the sale of the business to Pacific National in August 2004, before being bought back by the State Government in 2007.[11][12]

In July 2008, the line from Maroona to Portland was leased to the ARTC for 50 years with $15 million to be invested in the line.[13][14][15] The line was handed over in March 2009.[16]

Director of Public Transport

In August 1999, the office of Director of Public Transport was created in the Department of Transport to manage, coordinate and regulate public transport in Victoria. The responsibilities of the Director included the entering into and management of franchising contracts with train, tram and bus companies to provide public transport services in Melbourne and Victoria. To further these goals, the Director leased the metropolitan and intrastate train and tram infrastructure and assets from VicTrack through the Metropolitan Infrastructure Head Lease, and would sub-lease various assets to the various franchisees through Infrastructure Leases. On 2 April 2012, these functions of the Director were transferred to the newly created Public Transport Victoria, as were the leases.

The Victorian Rail Track Corporation (VicTrack) was re-established with a new corporate charter from 1 July 2010 by the Transport Integration Act 2010.[4][17] The 2010 Act also changed the name of the Rail Corporations Act 1996 to the Rail Management Act 1996.[18]

Relationship with Public Transport Victoria

VicTrack is the custodian of all rail infrastructure and assets in Victoria. VicTrack leases the metropolitan and intrastate train and tram infrastructure and assets to Public Transport Victoria (PTV), which then sub-leases the infrastructure and assets to the metropolitan train and tram operators and V/Line. PTV manages the rights and obligations contained in the sub-leases on behalf of the State.

Metro Trains Melbourne operates Melbourne's railway network of 998 km (620 mi) of track[19] and is responsible for 215 railway stations.[20][21] V/Line operates to 91 railway stations[22] and is track manager of the Victorian intrastate rail network outside of the ARTC and Metro Trains Melbourne sub-leases.[23] Yarra Trams operates the 250 km (160 mi) Melbourne tram network.[24] ARTC sub-leases from PTV the interstate standard gauge railway tracks from Melbourne to Serviceton and Melbourne to Albury.[25]

References

  1. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2013 Archived 5 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine VicTrack
  2. ^ "Victorian Auditor-General's Office: Key Stakeholders & Wildfire Prevention". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  3. ^ Site Management Archived 5 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine VicTrack
  4. ^ a b Transport Integration Act 2010 Archived 12 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine Victorian Government
  5. ^ Rail Corporations Act 1996 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, section 8.
  6. ^ Annual Report 30 June 1999 Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation
  7. ^ Historic Deal Heralds New Rail Infrastructure Investment in Victoria Archived 5 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation 30 May 2008
  8. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2008 Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation
  9. ^ "Full steam ahead" Archived 6 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine ABC News 30 May 2008
  10. ^ "V/Line returns after North East Rail Revitalisation" Archived 29 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Railway Gazette International 29 June 2011
  11. ^ " Rail buyback announced Archived 4 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine ABC 774 Melbourne 18 April 2007
  12. ^ "Victoria buys back regional network" Railway Gazette International May 2007 page 260
  13. ^ Future of Portland to Maroona rail line secured Archived 21 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Port of Portland 16 July 2008
  14. ^ "Rail track upgrade announced for Portland" Archived 8 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine ABC News 16 July 2008
  15. ^ "Port project launched" Railway Gazette International October 2008 page 760
  16. ^ V/Line Weekly Operational Notice No 11/2009
  17. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2006 Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine VicTrack
  18. ^ Transport Integration Act 2010, section 200(1)
  19. ^ "Whop we are". Metro Trains Melbourne. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Facts & figures". Department of Transport. 20 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  21. ^ "Metro Trains Melbourne: About Us". Metro Trains Melbourne. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  22. ^ "Annual Report 2016–17". V/Line Corporation. p. 12. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  23. ^ "V/Line Background". www.vline.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  24. ^ "Facts & figures". Yarra Trams. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  25. ^ Annual Report 30 June 1999 Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation
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