A DECISION to suspend the accreditation of Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) was based around safety concerns, the Officer of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) says.
In a statement, the ONRSR said it exercised powers under the Rail Safety National Law to suspend the accreditation of Holdco Holdings (which trades as Southern Shorthaul Railroad).
“This action has been undertaken based on a determination that there is, or would be, an immediate or serious risk to safety unless Holdco’s accreditation was suspended,” the regulator said in a statement.
“The suspension follows a serious incident at Berrima in New South Wales on 4 July 2026 in which several wagons rolled away and derailed at a level crossing on a public road.”
There were no injuries from the Berrima incident which ONRSR is investigating.
According to the ONRSR, the derailment at Berrima is the latest in a series of safety incidents involving this operator.
ONRSR accredits rail transport operators under the Rail Safety National Law on the basis that they demonstrate competence and capacity to manage risks to safety associated with their railway operations.
“ONRSR’s priority is to ensure that risks to the safety of those in the rail industry and members of the public are effectively managed. Understanding the potential impact, the decision to suspend Holdco’s accreditation has not been taken lightly,” the regulator stated.
“Rail transport operators that interact with Holdco have been notified so they can manage impacts to their operations.
“ONRSR will continue to work with Holdco in relation to its accreditation status.”
Previous incidents involving SSR trains occurred in March and May of this year.
In March, an SSR train was uncoupled during shunting movements at Clyde NSW, with one locomotive and five cement wagons subsequently rolling away through a set of points and colliding with a Pacific National locomotive.
Noone was injured.
On 26 May 2026, two locomotives at Marulan South were uncoupled and rolled away while the crew was outside the cab.
A crew member boarded the moving locomotives and brought them to a stand. There were no injuries or damage.