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Main article: Rail transport in Victoria

Roxburgh Park with the Metro Trains Melbourne leased Craigieburn line on the left and the Australian Rail Track Corporation leased North East line on the right
State Owned Enterprise overview
Formed1 April 1997
Preceding State Owned Enterprise
JurisdictionVictoria
HeadquartersDocklands
Employees324 (249 FTE) - As of June 2015
Minister responsible
State Owned Enterprise executive
  • Campbell Rose, CEO
Key document
  • Victorian Rail Corporations Act 1996
Websitewww.victrack.com.au

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

VicTrack leases railway and tram land used for public transport to Public Transport Victoria which then sub-leases railway assets and infrastructure to Australian Rail Track Corporation, Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and tram assets to 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, and
  • Environmental programs on railway lands such as remediation of contaminated land.

In 2015, the State Government formed the Level Crossing Removal Authority to oversee the removal of 50 of the most dangerous and congested level crossings on the Melbourne railway network by 2023, 20 of worst of them by 2018.[4] VicTrack works with the Victorian Government on the upgrade of rail level crossings.[5]

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.[6]

History

Western approach to Flinders Street Station

Victorian Rail Track was established on 1 April 1997 by the Victorian Rail Corporations Act 1996[7] to hold, manage and maintain railway land and infrastructure in Victoria for the Government of Victoria.

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 5 years to the newly formed Australian Rail Track Corporation.[8] This was later extended for another 10 years, and, in May 2008, for another 45 years.[9][10] 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.[11] Included was construction of a five kilometre Wodonga Rail Bypass to eliminate 11 level crossings.[12] In July 2008, the line from Maroona to Portland was leased to Australian Rail Track Corporation for 50 years with $15 million to be invested in the line.[13][14] The line was handed over in March 2009.[15]

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.[6][16] The 2010 Act also changed the name of the Rail Corporations Act 1996 to the Rail Management Act 1996.[17]

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 837 km (520.1 mi) of track[18] and is responsible for 215 railway stations.[19][20] V/Line operates to 85 railway stations[21] and is track manager of the Victorian intrastate rail network outside of the Australian Rail Track Corporation and Metro Trains Melbourne sub-leases.[22] Yarra Trams operates Melbourne's tram network of 250 km (155.3 mi) double track.[23] Australian Rail Track Corporation sub-leases from PTV the interstate standard gauge railway tracks from Melbourne to Serviceton and to Albury.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2013 VicTrack
  2. ^ Victorian Auditor-General's Office: Key Stakeholders & Wildfire Prevention
  3. ^ Site Management VicTrack
  4. ^ http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/about
  5. ^ State Level Crossing Upgrade Program VicTrack
  6. ^ a b Transport Integration Act 2010 Victorian Government
  7. ^ Rail Corporations Act 1996, section 8.
  8. ^ Annual Report 30 June 1999, Australian Rail Track Corporation
  9. ^ Historic Deal Heralds New Rail Infrastructure Investment in Victoria Australian Rail Track Corporation 30 May 2008
  10. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2008 Australian Rail Track Corporation
  11. ^ "Full steam ahead" ABC News 30 May 2008
  12. ^ "V/Line returns after North East Rail Revitalisation", Railway Gazette, 29 June 2011
  13. ^ Future of Portland to Maroona rail line secured Port of Portland 16 July 2008
  14. ^ "Rail track upgrade announced for Portland", ABC News, 16 July 2008
  15. ^ V/Line Weekly Operational Notice No 11/2009
  16. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2006 VicTrack
  17. ^ Transport Integration Act 2010, section 200(1)
  18. ^ "PTV Corporate". Public Transport Victoria. August 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  19. ^ "Facts & figures". Department of Transport. 20 September 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  20. ^ "Metro Trains Melbourne: About Us". Metro Trains Melbourne. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  21. ^ "V/Line annual report 2011/12" (PDF). www.vline.com.au. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  22. ^ "V/Line Background". www.vline.com.au. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  23. ^ "Facts & figures". Yarra Trams. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  24. ^ Annual Report 30 June 1999 Australian Rail Track Corporation
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