2001 Access Undertaking

Queensland Rail (QR) must allow other train operators to use its intrastate rail infrastructure in accordance with an access undertaking approved by the Queensland Competition Authority. An access arrangement describes the policies as well as the terms and conditions upon which third party access to rail transport infrastructure will be granted and includes both pricing and non-pricing issues.

In January 1999 Queensland Rail (QR) submitted to the Queensland Competition Authority a draft access undertaking covering certain services relating to the use of the rail transport infrastructure it owns, and which have been declared for third party access under part 5 of the Queensland Competition Authority Act 1997.

The Authority released an issues paper seeking comment on what issues should be considered for the access undertaking, and subsequently released a range of discussion papers on related matters.

The Draft Access Undertaking was rejected in the Authority’s 1999 Final Decision, but after the required amendments were implemented, was approved in 2001.