The purpose of Operational Concept for the Australian Railway Network (i.e. operational concept) is to provide a methodology for testing whether a proposal for rules development and/or change is within the scope of the RISSB National Rules and other National Operations Publications.

It achieves this by providing a link between the seven Fundamental Operating Principles (principles), as
listed in Section 1.8 of this document, and:

  1. the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) Standards;
  2. the Rail Transport Operators (RTOs) operating rules; and
  3. the RTO’s safety management systems processes requirements.

The operational concept determines what should be included in the National Operations Publications,
and it should also be used to:

  1. review the relevance and effectiveness of existing controls and identify the need for any changes;
  2. provide a scope that can guide proposals for changes to the way in which the railway is operated, and facilitate the identification of consequential changes to
    RISSB standards or operating rules;
  3. support justification of change proposals;
    determine the priorities of change proposals; and
  4. assist the RTOs in reviewing their standards and procedures.

For the purpose of this document, the use of the term Signalling System is intended to cover all systems or systems of safeworking that give authority for rail traffic and work on track occupation of a block, with defined limits, while managing the safe separation of rail traffic and workers. The term “signalling” may also be used to describe a method of communicating an authority for movement or the occupation of a block.