The improvement of railway transport is a top infrastructure priority in Australia
High-speed railway transport is a topic of particular interest in Australia: in April, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reactivated an infrastructure plan which aims to link the country's largest cities, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, by rail.
The Rail Infrastructure Forum took place on September 8 in Sydney, and gave representatives of the Spanish and Australian industry the chance to discuss the opportunities and challenges posed by rail transport.
During their trip from Madrid to Zaragoza, the participants in the Leaders Programme got to visit the cockpit of the high-speed train linking the two cities. Renfe's Head of International Projects, José Antonio García, accompanied the Leaders during the visit and explained the workings of Spanish high-speed trains, which are among the world's most modern.
The Leaders showed particular interest in track occupation and wildlife protection (special tunnels for animals, for example), as well as falling object detectors for bridges, tunnels and other sensitive places. They also learned about rail security systems, which are approved under the EU’s ERMTS system. Renfe's high-speed trains (AVE) started operating in 1992 between Madrid and Seville. There are now routes linking Spain from north to south, as well as from Madrid to Catalonia and Valencia.
Australian Leaders Programme: Activity summary
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