The Australian Railway Association (ARA) has welcomed the release of the new National Land Freight Strategy, following the meeting of the Standing council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI).

The strategy sets out a work-plan that will aim to assist in the delivery of key long term goals of an efficient, productive and competitive national land freight system, a sustainable land freight system that responds to change and growth and the development of coherent policies.

“With our population growing and demand for mining outputs and commodities on the increase, it’s vital that our freight transport systems are able to cope now and into the future”, said ARA CEO Mr Bryan Nye.

“This strategy rightly acknowledges that rail and road freight planning and investment need to be done concurrently, not in competition with each other.”