The New South Wales (NSW) Government has launched the Regional Network East/West Uplift (RNEW) Programme, aimed at developing a ten-year plan for regional rail infrastructure.

The programme represents a shift from ad-hoc investment decisions to a more structured, evidence-based approach, addressing the full needs of the regional rail network.

Previously, regional rail infrastructure investment in NSW was made sporadically, often without comprehensive strategic planning or extensive stakeholder consultation.

Projects such as Fixing Country Rail and the Main West Capacity Enhancement Programme suffered from a lack of a unified strategic focus, leading to prolonged development delays.

The RNEW Programme seeks to rectify these issues by establishing a clear, long-term investment pipeline. It will employ a thorough analysis of data, assess reliability and capacity needs, evaluate existing assets, and engage in broad consultations to inform its strategic planning.

This approach aims to enhance the NSW Government’s understanding and management of the regional rail network, ensuring better forecasting and delivery of necessary upgrades.

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said: “The NSW Government is committed to providing rail networks across the state that are effective, efficient and reliable for all users – freight and passengers.

“The RNEW Programme will allow us to better understand, manage, forecast, and deliver improvements on the state’s regional rail network, bringing projects under one banner to ensure a holistic and strategic approach.”

A key element of the programme will be to explore improvements to the Country Regional Network (CRN), which encompasses over 2,300km of operational rail lines essential for transporting 2.7bn gross tonnes of freight annually and providing over 120 passenger services each week.

The programme will also examine potential synergies with existing projects like Inland Rail and the Freight Policy Reform.

The final strategy developed by the RNEW Programme will align with Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plans across NSW’s nine regional areas.

Engagement with the freight industry, rail operators, users, and local government is scheduled to begin in 2025, with the strategy’s completion expected in 2026.