The Need for Speed

closely as possible to the market’s needs, to quickly transform a 1st class space into a 2nd class space and vice versa, to reconfigure the interior by removing or adding seats, bicycle or luggage spaces, and more.

2. A 20 per cent increase in on-board space.

3. Ultra-competitive energy efficiency and carbon footprint per passenger: the TGV M’s carbon footprint is the lowest on the market and 97 per cent of the train’s components are recyclable.

4. A highly “communicating” train set whose sensors continuously transmit thousands of pieces of data enabling the train to be examined in real time from every angle to optimise maintenance and availability.

Where To Now

The march towards high-speed rail in Australia will not be a quick one, but the building blocks are being put into place.

“It starts with building one line, then once that is operational and passengers see the benefit, you can push for the next stages such as extending the first line and growing the network,” Garvey said.

“The extension phase is increasingly time efficient because you have the skills, expertise and ability to replicate what is already there.”

The HSRA has said that its first priority is examining fast or high-speed rail connecting Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle.

Other business cases are investigating faster rail possibilities between Geelong and Melbourne along with strategic corridors in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

In the 2021-22 Budget, the Queensland Government committed $178.1 million towards pre-construction activities for the Kuraby to Beenleigh section as part of the Logan to Gold Coast Faster Rail project.

Western Australia is studying options to provide faster passenger rail services from Perth to the city of Bunbury, about 200 kilometres away.

First steps: staged approach

“Fast rail in Australia is a must-have with our land size and population. The benefit is too great for it to be just a nice-to-have,” Garvey said.

“As an example, we could start by building a dedicated high-speed rail corridor from Sydney to Canberra allowing passengers and stakeholders to get an Australian-first glance of how beneficial high-speed rail can be.

“Once the first line is operational, we can start using it and funding for expansion projects will begin.

“My belief is that if we can get the first project underway, it will open the door to the future of high-speed rail across Australia.”

Garvey pointed to Melbourne’s Suburban Rail

Loop as an example. “It’s a huge investment over many years, but the Victorians are doing it, they’ll do it in stages and get better at it,” he said.

“It’s not dissimilar to the high-speed challenges; we just need a kickstart.”

Passenger experience

“I do not know anybody that’s actually been on a high-speed train and not been in awe, and many have said “we should have this in Australia!”” Garvey said.

“You turn up, buy your ticket and off you go. It’s convenient, more reasonably priced than that of a plane ticket, and instead of sitting in traffic you can relax, do some work or watch a movie.

“Another benefit is the experience of looking out at the landscape you are travelling through, whether that be the sea or the country side.”

Proven business cases

Garvey said that all around the world, there had never been a retraction of a high-speed rail line.

“Other types of networks may have been decommissioned over time, but high-speed rail just seems to go on, with extensions and new lines being built,” he said.

Signs are promising that the stage is now set for firm progress on a national approach to high-speed rail.