ARTC, state government wrangle casts doubt on NE rail line maintenance

BRAG said a stand-off between the Victorian government and the Australian Rail Track Corporation over funding to maintain the track above freight standards was still ongoing.

The task to upgrade the track to class 2 passenger grade was finished three years ago - but BRAG fears without proper funding it will revert back to its decrepit state.

BRAG representative John Dunstan said it was "an idiotic situation" and had contacted Indi MP Helen Haines to look into the matter.

A letter from federal Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Catherine King to Dr Haines obtained by The Border Mail said the ARTC had sought funding from the Victorian government to maintain the line to class 2 standard.

"However, in the absence of further funding being provided by the Victorian government, the track will be maintained at ARTC's freight track standard," Ms King wrote in the August 23 letter.

"While ARTC has continued to commit additional funding to maintain the [line] to the Victorian class 2 standard, the Victorian government has not deviated from the historic position to not contribute to an increase in ongoing rail access charges and line maintenance fees."

Mr Dunstan said he didn't understand why the ARTC and the Victorian government could not reach a compromise.

"The freight standard led to the track deteriorating to the appalling state it was in five years ago," Mr Dunstan said.

"We will be back to the ride we had before the governments were forced to spend $300 million upgrading the tracks only a few years ago.

"Obviously this is a very poor situation for passengers on the NE line - it means all that $300 million will eventually be wasted, because the track will go back to the way it was.

"Starting now, the ARTC is not going to put in the extra money, which they've been doing out of their own income, to maintain it to this highest standard and they're going to revert back to the freight standard."

The ARTC said it "operates under commercial principles and would require a contribution from the Victorian government as the operator of passenger services to maintain the line at a class 2 standard".

"In the interim, ARTC has committed additional funding to keep performance standards of the line," an ARTC spokesman said.

"ARTC continues to engage with the Victorian government on funding of maintenance of the line in the medium to long term.

ARTC is pleased with reliability and performance since the upgrade was completed."

A Victorian Department of Transport and Planning spokesman said the department was working with the ARTC under the current terms of the lease.

"The Australian Rail Track Corporation is responsible for the maintenance of the corridor,'' the spokesman said.

"The track is currently in good condition following the Victorian government's North East line upgrade.

"The North East line upgrade enabled new VLocity trains to run to Albury-Wodonga for the first time and delivered a more reliable and comfortable service for passengers."

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