MAJOR PROJECTS
Rail adapting to ‘unprecedented boom’ In this exclusive Q&A, John Holland’s executive general manager for rail, Steve Butcher, tells Rail Express about the shifting rail landscape, the benefits of an integrated offering, and the challenges facing the sector.
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AIL EXPRESS (REX): How is the landscape shifting for operations and maintenance contractors in the rail sector? Steve Butcher (SB): There is an unprecedented increase in the investment governments are making into mass transit systems across Australia. As a result, Australian rail operators are adapting to a level of demand that has been lacking for a generation. The demand has been greatest for mass transit systems in urban centres, where population density has driven an increase in funding for rail projects along the east coast. The other shift we are seeing is a renewed focus on the customer, which is something we thrive on. People-centred transport systems are now what governments expect, and our performance is tied to how well we design and manage the customer experience. Governments are also increasingly introducing KPIs for operators, which has driven better customer outcomes. The importance of integrating the customer experience across modes and ensuring comfort, safety and reliability is now part of rail planning from the design stage. Public transport increasingly becoming a data business has also created a range of new opportunities for operators, such as linking to on-demand services, and sharing real-time information with customers about reliability and patronage on services.
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REX: What are the challenges faced by John Holland and others in this space, and how is John Holland adjusting to these challenges? SB: This is a really exciting time for the Australian rail industry – it is a time of great transformation, both in terms of massive physical infrastructure and technological developments to reduce congestion and improve the customer experience. We are very lucky to be in the thick of some of the most significant rail projects in Australia’s history, but it is important we keep pace with the sheer volume of work that is out there. Our rail business now makes up 47 per cent of John Holland’s total revenue, and with more than $100 billion worth of projects in the Australasian rail pipeline, we expect the demand on our people to continue to grow. Adjusting to the increase in work has meant a very consistent recruitment strategy, where we have seen our rail employee numbers increase by 31.6 per cent since December last year. Separately, we are working hard to improve work-life balance for people across all John Holland projects. This includes a pilot of flexible working arrangements across different projects. During a boom, we know that we are in fierce competition for the best people – so we need to ensure we are the best place to work, both to attract new hires and to retain our expert rail people. Other challenges in rail relate to bringing existing
ABOVE: Steve Butcher.
TOP: An integrated offering for major projects can help provide a whole of life view of what is being delivered, creating better value for money.
RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 9 2019
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