29 May 2026
ARISO The Standard – Edition 6, May 2026
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Edition 6, May 2026 A message from Alan Fedda | CEO What great timing to have the ARISO Rail Safety Conference on 19-20 May with the NTC’s RSNL Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) public consultation period now closed. The conversations in this year’s conference are unlike any we have seen in decades. There was strong recognition that the reform momentum now underway represents a generational opportunity for rail. We heard strong and candid perspectives particularly on the practical challenges of implementation, cost, and managing the pace of change. But one thing was very clear: Australia’s rail industry is aligned on the why we need a safer, more productive, more interoperable network. Industry is now focused and curious on how we achieve the objectives through the reform. ARISO’s role is not just to develop standards and rules but to help ensure they work in the real world. That means reducing duplication and complexity, supporting consistent, national approaches and co-designing solutions with the people who use them every day. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing what we’re changing and how industry can get involved—because achieving real reform will take all of us working together. Like many in the industry, ARISO has lodged its submission to the NTC RSNL C-RIS. I encourage you to read our ideas for strengthening the law to achieve safety and productivity. We’ve featured the AS 7718 Signalling Design Process Management reflecting modern signalling practices and digital engineering and the AS 7529.1 Rolling Stock Fire Safety standard on how we are addressing impacts of emerging innovations in battery electric and hydrogen. And again, congratulations to all the ARISO Rail Safety Award winners and finalists. 
ARISO calls for generational changeAddressing historic inefficiencies and supporting a national uplift in rail requires cultural, institutional and legislative change. As the new authority responsible for developing, assuring and enabling adoption of national rail standards and rules, ARISO’s submission to the National Transport Commission (NTC) in response proposed changes to the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) calls for regulatory application of a hierarchy of national mandatory and harmonised standards. ARISO Rail Safety Conference 2026 wrap upThe ARISO Rail Safety Conference 2026 brought together industry, regulators and government leaders at a defining moment for Australia’s rail sector, with interoperability, productivity and harmonised standards firmly at the centre of the national conversation. Across two days in Melbourne, a consistent theme emerged: Australia’s rail reform agenda has shifted from discussion to implementation. 
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTAS 7718 Signalling Design Process Management Reflecting modern signalling practices and digital engineering, AS 7718 has undergone a major update to support better safety and more consistent outcomes across the rail industry. The Standard sets out a clear way to do signalling design that can be used across Australia. It explains what information is needed to start a design and shows a simple step-by-step process that can be scaled for small or large projects. It also covers the full life of a design, from the first idea through to operations and maintenance. 
Contact info@ariso.org.au if you’d like to discuss this standard with one of our standards development managers. ARISO PRODUCT UPDATESIn the news: Fire safety in a changing rolling stock landscapeTo support the safe adoption of emerging technologies while maintaining a consistent national safety framework, ARISO has released a significantly updated version of AS 7529.1 Rolling Stock Fire Safety – Locomotives and Freight. Innovations in battery electric and hydrogen present enormous opportunities for the rail industry, but also introduce new technical risks. In the May edition of the Rail Express magazine, find out how AS 7529.1 will help manage these risks. Public ConsultationAS 7510.3 Braking Systems – Multiple Unit Passenger AS 7641 Rail Lubrication Management AS 7706 Interface with Points AS 7717 Signalling Testing and Commissioning
EVENTSCelebrating the 2026 ARISO Rail Safety AwardsARISO was proud to recognise six outstanding winners of the 2026 Rail Safety Awards, celebrating excellence, leadership and innovation across the Australian rail industry. The Awards acknowledge the individuals, teams and organisations making significant contributions to improving safety, productivity, interoperability and industry capability. The awards also highlight the collaboration and commitment required to support the national reform agenda and the transition into a new standards era for Australian rail. ARISO MasterClass webinar: Coming soon – Safety risks of battery powered e-ridables on passenger trainsWe’re responding to a much-discussed topic at the ARISO Rail Safety Conference 2026 – at our next ARISO MasterClass webinar we’ll be further exploring the risks of battery powered ridables on passenger trains. At the Conference, we heard that lithium-ion batteries pose fire hazards unlike traditional passenger belongings. They can ignite suddenly, release intense heat within seconds, emit toxic flammable gases, and resist extinguishing. Incidents from e-scooters and e-bikes carried on passenger trains requires examination of the hazards and practical strategies for transport operators, regulators, and emergency responders to best address the emerging hazard.
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