Vigorous RTBU pressure for an investigation into the second-rate resleepering program and dangerous mudholes on the Sydney to Melbourne rail line has delivered results with Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese announcing an inquiry.

The independent investigation into operations comes after a number of dangerous incidents on the line.

Covering safety issues, work practices and the substandard sections of the line, the inquiry announcement finally shows that the concerns continuously voiced by the RTBU are justified.

This is a chance to confirm what drivers and the union have always maintained, that the mudholes are a result of cost-cutting by the government-owned Australian Rail Track Corporation.

While the RTBU welcomes the enquiry, the union awaits the outcome with interest to see whether the ATSB has thoroughly investigated the ongoing issues identified by drivers, and has provided satisfactory recommendations to avoid these problems in the future.

The union will be urging the ATSB to provide an avenue for both the union and concerned members to provide submissions and a chance to be interviewed as part of the enquiry in order to get a complete picture of the issues from workers on the ground.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will look at:

• The operational condition of the interstate rail track and the safety measures currently in place for areas where the track quality is below acceptable operational standards.

• The methods used by the ARTC to remediate the track and how the ARTC has addressed the safety of operations.

• Safeworking practices in relation to the track.

• A systemic review of safety systems, including signalling and the quality assurance of work undertaken on the track.

The RTBU will support any member who reduces the speed of their train on the Sydney to Melbourne line due to safety concerns following a recent near miss on the line.

V/Line have recently imposed a 60km/h limit on a section of track where an incident occurred that saw a passenger train narrowly miss a maintenance crew working on the line.

Despite this, the Australian Rail Track Corporation maintain that the track is safe and no speed limit is required.

The incident comes after the RTBU wrote to Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese calling on him to conduct an inquiry into the state of the track.

The union has long been concerned about the condition of the track, which is riddled with mud holes following cost-cutting resleepering methods.

Read the ABC’s report on the issue here.

See these videos taken by The Border Mail newspaper, and read their report here.

As any loco driver using the Sydney to Melbourne track will know, extensive parts of it are in a disgraceful condition with extensive parts of the line affected by mudholes and buckled tracks.

Train drivers have told the 7.30 Report about their experiences and safety fears driving on the track.

CountryLink has warned urgent attention was required around certain track defects over nearly a third of the inter-capital line.

An 80kmh blanket speed has been posted along the entire track between Junee and Goulburn, due to poor track conditions.

The RTBU has continually raised the issue with the Australian Rail Track Corporation, who have responsibility for maintaining the track.

View part 1 of the report here and part 2 here.