The government's efforts to revitalise the rail network took a leap forward on Thursday when the Eastern Cape Rail Committee held its first meeting.

The province has been identified as a national pilot project for the implementation of the government's rail renewal strategy.

"This strategy seeks to revitalise the under-used rail infrastructure," said Safety, Liaison, Roads and Transport MEC Thobile Mhlahlo.

Last year the province launched the R300 million rail project, Kei Rail, which aims to revive the 281km stretch of rail between East London and Mthatha.

John Thompson, chief executive officer of the Railroad Association of South Africa, said he was "absolutely thrilled to be surrounded by so much rail brain".

"We wish to add value to what is going on here because we believe that, if we do something good here, it will have knock-on effects on the Southern African Development Community."

"Transporting goods by rail costs a third or fifth of doing so by road but we are still using roads... we are disadvantaging ourselves," said Thompson.

Border-Kei Chamber of Business director Les Holbrook said the committee would help deal with the perception that rail transport was unreliable.

Mhlahlo's spokesperson, Ncedo Kumbaca, said the committee would involve itself in rail networks, rolling stock, service delivery, infrastructure and facilities, passenger and freight demands, funding, financial management, land use, planning, and policy and legislation.