The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has agreed to an arrangement that will see the transition to more efficient train services proposed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) for its rail network in the Hunter Valley.

 

The arrangements include applying revised access charges to the two new, more efficient train services identified by ARTC in consultation with the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator. These more efficient train services are the longest trains which can currently operate on the network. The revised access charges promote more efficient use of the network by coal chain participants.  

 

“Determining the most efficient trains for the Hunter Valley rail network is a further step toward maximising throughput on the coal supply chain, and forms part of the long-term solution to reducing capacity constraints in the Hunter Valley,” ACCC commissioner Joe Dimasi said.

 

This proposal is the first step in a two-stage process for determining the final characteristics of the most efficient train. 

 

ARTC’s proposal involved varying the arrangements in its Hunter Valley Access Undertaking (HVAU), which was approved by the ACCC on 29 June 2011. The HVAU provides for access to the Hunter Valley rail network, which transports coal from the region's mines to the Port of Newcastle for export.

 

Current forecasts indicate that more than 140 million tonnes will be exported in 2012, worth in excess of $10 billion in export earnings to Australia. It is one of the largest and most complex coal export operations in the world.