QR National decision soon: Bligh

THE Queensland government will announce whether it will sell part of its coal freight business to miners or proceed with a public float by next week.

The government is preparing for a float of QR National in the final quarter of 2010 to privatise the state's coal and bulk freight tracks and trains.

But a consortium of coal companies has put forward an offer to buy the rail lines.

Ms Bligh said a decision would be announced "soon".

"We would be looking to make a decision one way or the other before we start the float," she told reporters on Wednesday.

She said the float was due to start in the next 10 days.