Cross River Rail – Independent Assurance Expert

The project

Cross River Rail (CRR) is a new 10.2 km rail line with 5.9 km of twin tunnels running under the Brisbane River and Central Business District. The project is being delivered in partnership with the private sector through three major infrastructure packages of work: the Tunnel, Stations and Development, the Rail, Integration and Systems, and the European Train Control System (ETCS) contract. ETCS will be a key component of how trains operate in the new CRR tunnels and will then progressively be rolled out across the wider Queensland rail network.

The challenges

SEMP is engaged by the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (CCRDA) as the Independent Assurance Expert (IAE) to provide impartial, expert opinion and mentorship to all parties involved in the project. These stakeholders include the State, Queensland Rail (QR), the Delivery Authority, the Operator, the Independent Safety Assessor (ISA), the Project Independent Certifier (PIC), and project Delivery Partners (a mix of P3s and Alliances).

The primary objective of this role is to instill confidence among stakeholders in the delivery of end-to-end system functionality and complex integration, and to assist in identifying and resolving potential issues arising from Stage Gate reviews for each Configuration State.

The solutions

SEMP initially deployed a team of seven experts in January 2024 and conducted a comprehensive health assessment of the Cross River Rail (CRR) project. Following this assessment, we produced a detailed report outlining
findings and recommendations using the MoSCoW prioritisation method. Acting on behalf of the CRRDA and as a key member of the Guiding Mind Group (GMG), SEMP continues to work closely with all stakeholders to implement these recommendations and to monitor and assess Progressive Assurance activities across nine configuration states. Each configuration state is subject to multiple Stage Gates, forming the backbone of the project’s assurance and integration strategy.

In delivering this role, SEMP actively participates in Stage Gate reviews, offering coaching and impartial advice to stakeholders. This includes collaborating to align the CRR Integrated Target Schedule (ITS) with the defined Configuration States and maintaining a deep working knowledge of the project scope, ITS, configuration stages, and the QR operational environment. A core responsibility of SEMP is to identify and advise stakeholders on the required quantum and quality of assurance collateral needed to support each Configuration State’s successful progression through its associated Stage Gates.

Where prior quantification has been carried out, SEMP reviews the robustness and completeness of the assessment. The team acts as an impartial advisor throughout, providing clarity on the acceptable scope and quality of assurance artefacts needed to meet Stage Gate milestones. SEMP presents objective findings to the State, QR, the Joint Acceptance Group (JAG), Route to Acceptance Group (RTAG) and the Integrated Design Group (IDG) to assess whether each Stage Gate has been achieved. When gaps or risks are identified, SEMP recommends practical, project-aligned remedial actions based on a “Best for the Project” approach.

Additionally, SEMP provides guidance on acceptable levels of technical debt that can be carried between configuration states, assessing associated operational and safety risks because of incomplete assurance or outstanding verification and validation. These factors are considered in alignment with QR and prioritised using MoSCoW principles, with a focus on identifying essential “Must” elements.

SEMP also supports stakeholders in resolving issues related to training and documentation for the complex systems being delivered by the Project Delivery partners. For example, the platform screen doors to train interface is a technically complex system requiring consideration of human factors and the opening sequence coordination and timing. The independent and objective nature of our assessment helps to instil confidence in these  systems within the user community, such as union safety reps and the workers they represent.

The results

Our team draws on their learnings from previous rail projects from around the world and deep knowledge of assurance frameworks (such as CENELEC) to deliver pragmatic solutions to project stakeholders. To date, we have analysed the effectiveness and completeness of design, development, testing and integration activities, advised on the suitability of configuration state definitions, and have provided analysis and recommendations with  respect to stage gate review processes and the supporting assurance evidence provided. At the stage gates, we have provided MoSCoW method risk-based assurance recommendations to address current gaps or deficiencies, giving guidance on how to pragmatically implement these recommendations.

SEMP continues to play a critical, role in delivering independent, technically grounded progressive assurance. By driving alignment, managing assurance quality, and fostering transparent stakeholder engagement, we are enabling effective decision-making and risk management on the Cross River Rail project.