Rail Infrastructure Act 2007

A Rail Infrastructure Manager is to – prepare a vegetation management plan for the rail network or, if it is a restricted Rail Infrastructure Manager, its part of the rail network; and periodically review and revise that plan; and implement that plan.

In preparing or reviewing and revising its vegetation management plan, a Rail Infrastructure Manager is to have regard to the following:the overall safety and operational requirements of the rail network; the need to prevent vegetation from becoming established in, encroaching on or overhanging the rail network; the need for train drivers and road users to have good lines of sight in and around the rail network, particularly near railway crossings; the need to prevent weeds from spreading onto adjoining land from the rail network; the need to eliminate or minimise fire hazards in and around the rail network; the need for a regular, effective and sustainable vegetation inspection and monitoring regime; plans, standards, orders, declarations or other things that from time to time may be in force under the Rail Safety Act 1997, Biosecurity Act 2019, Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 or prescribed Acts; the vegetation management provisions, if any, of relevant council planning schemes; prescribed requirements, if any; any directions that it is given by the Minister.

In preparing and revising its vegetation management plan, a Rail Infrastructure Manager is to carry out such consultations as it considers necessary or expedient.

A Rail Infrastructure Manager is to publish its vegetation management plan electronically – as soon as practicable after the plan is prepared; and as soon as practicable after the plan is revised.

A Rail Infrastructure Manager may – publish its vegetation management plan in such other ways and at such other times as it thinks fit; and charge a fee to recover the reasonable cost of providing any person with a printed copy of its vegetation management plan.

A Rail Infrastructure Manager may – prepare a vegetation management plan jointly with another Rail Infrastructure Manager; and with the permission of another Rail Infrastructure Manager, incorporate in its own vegetation management plan, with or without modification, provisions from a vegetation management plan prepared by that other Rail Infrastructure Manager.