The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) has taken the first step towards the delivery of high speed rail in Australia, with the Australian Government allocating $78.8 million for the initial Sydney to Newcastle high speed rail business case.
The first budget of the Albanese Government included $500 million to the early stages of developing high speed rail, including business case works.
The business case is expected to be provided to Government by the end of 2024, having determined important aspects of the new rail network including the proposed alignment, station locations, the type of train to be used and importantly the estimated cost and timeframe for construction.
This funding will support the proper planning that is critical to the success of such a significant infrastructure project, bringing high speed rail in Australia one step closer to construction.
Earlier this month, Mr Timothy Parker was announced as the inaugural CEO of the HSRA bringing over 30 years of experience in developing, procuring and delivering significant infrastructure projects including as the Head of Project for Sydney Metro since 2018, as well as having complex infrastructure experience working in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.