The purpose of this Code of Practice (CoP) is to assist organisations involved in rail construction to:
(1) meet their environmental obligations;
(2) improve environmental performance outcomes;
(3) set environmental performance expectations for their own organisations and for stakeholders and contractors that may be involved in their project;
(4) protect the environment by preventing pollution and environmental harm to natural and built environments;
(5) restore areas to leave a positive legacy; and
(6) promote consistency across the rail construction industry.

The scope of the CoP covers all construction activities associated with:
(1) new railway systems including extensions to an existing system;
(2) the operation of existing railway systems where replacement or upgrade of system components are required to:
(i) ensure the ongoing safety and operational effectiveness of the system; and
(ii) enhance the functionality and performance of the system.