Opal goes live on light rail

Cheaper travel on Sydney’s light rail.

24 November, 2014

Gold Coast trams ready to roll in two weeks

The Queensland government says it will meet the mid-year opening deadline for the new light rail system on the Gold Coast, making it the third operating system of its kind in Australia.

7 July, 2014

Rail industry stoked over NSW Budget $9bn transport spend

NSW Premier Mike Baird’s ambitious plan to overhaul and expand Sydney’s neglected transport infrastructure has won strong backing from peak groups, including the Australasian Railway Association and stands in sharp contrast with the federal Budget’s heavy emphasis on major roads.

18 June, 2014

Newcastle light rail run finalised

The New South Wales government has selected the route for the Newcastle light rail, which will connect the city centre with the waterfront.

27 May, 2014

Sydney approves almost $2 billion to build infrastructure over 10 years

Over the next decade, Sydney’s growing population will see a radical transformation of the central business district following the council’s unprecedented approval of a record $1.94 billion building and construction program.

13 May, 2014

Australian councils share disaster smarts with United States

By Professor Edward Blakely* The United States has dealt with more disasters in the last four years than any period in nearly a century. This path of destruction has been underlined by the numerous floods, tornadoes, cyclones and other man-made disasters like the horrible fertiliser plant explosion in Texas. While these disasters make the headlines, […]

8 January, 2014

Canberra seeks industry know-how for light rail procurement

By Paul Hemsley Canberra’s long awaited light rail project is gaining momentum as the Capital Metro Agency has commenced a search for technical advisers to guide the project towards its procurement phase in 2015. These technical advisers will be expected to have expertise in transport planning, engineering design, light rail operations, environmental assessment, urban design, […]

17 December, 2013

Canberra light rail momentum gains as Melbourne gets new Jumbo Tram

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Australia’s metropolitan revival of light rail and tramways is showing no sign of slowing down soon. As the nation’s capital, Canberra, finally makes tentative progress towards installing one of the tramways conspicuously drawn into the designer city’s original masterplan by Walter Burley Griffin a century ago, Melbourne this week […]

8 November, 2013

Rail Association gauges big spike in train usage

By Paul Hemsley New research commissioned by Australia’s peak rail body has found that the use of passenger, freight and light rail increased in dramatically between 2011 and 2012, after the number of passenger journeys on trains and trams jumped by 15.4 million to 784.2 million. The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) is pushing the new […]

3 October, 2013

Sydney CBD transport overhaul details released

By Julian Bajkowski Sydney’s jam packed city centre is officially on track for its biggest transport and access shake-up in half a century after the New South Wales Government publicly released a key document spelling out how new tram and rail lines, bus routes, bicycle paths and vehicle access will be tightly woven together for […]

11 September, 2013

Perth commuters take fright at fake tram

By Paul Hemsley If the sight of a tram trundling down a pedestrian mall is enough to frighten you off your shopping, then Perth is the place to be – even if you can’t catch a ride yet. After months of berating the Western Australian state government over its proposed route for the new CBD […]

26 August, 2013

Rail wins big in WA Budget

By Julian Bajkowski Transport infrastructure and emergency services may have emerged as the primary winners in the Western Australian Budget, however Liberal Premier Colin Barnett will axe at least 1000 jobs from the public sector to try keep the state’s finances on an even keel. Mr Barnet on Thursday forecast a $386 million for this […]

9 August, 2013

More councils sign onto Sydney’s extended light rail

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The concerted push to add swift and serious passenger transport capacity to Sydney’s notoriously gridlocked Eastern Suburbs has continued at pace after New South Wales Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian signed key agreements with Randwick City Council, Centennial Parklands and the University of NSW (UNSW) to support the building […]

5 July, 2013

Sydney extends tap-and-go ticket trials to trains

By Julian Bajkowski New South Wales transport authorities have announced the extension of customer trials for the state’s rebirthed public transit smartcard, Opal, to trains with readers for the devices now being switched-on at rail stations on Sydney’s City Circle line as well as Bondi Junction. The start of trials for CBD rail passengers is […]

3 June, 2013