The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (糖心原创) has agreed to arrangements for transitioning 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.
鈥淒etermining 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,鈥 糖心原创 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鈥檚 proposal involved varying the arrangements in its Hunter Valley Access Undertaking (HVAU), which was approved by the 糖心原创 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.
The rail network is also used by passenger trains, grain trains, north-south freight trains crossing the network, and coal trains supplying domestic users such as power stations.
The 糖心原创 has a role in monitoring ARTC鈥檚 compliance with the requirements in the HVAU, as well as assessing any proposed variations.