City rail decision opens new vision for future of Perth and public transport.

10/06/02
The new Mandurah rail line and the extended northern suburbs line will be linked by a 1,650m tunnel under Perth that will provide new opportunities to the under-utilised Swan River foreshore and Northbridge.
The visionary plan also includes a new Esplanade train station providing greater access to the river, the busport and the new Convention Centre, and an underground extension to the existing Perth Central Station.
Premier Geoff Gallop and Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today unveiled the futuristic blueprint.
Dr Gallop said Cabinet had endorsed the route for the South West Metropolitan Railway from the Narrows Bridge to Perth Central Station recommended by the Perth City Rail Advisory Committee.
"Not only is this the best decision for public transport users, it is also the best decision for the future of our city," he said.
"It has the potential to achieve two of the great planning outcomes that have eluded modern governments - linking the city to the river and Northbridge to the city.
"This is truly a far-sighted decision and future generations will recognise the importance of this decision to link public transport outcomes with proper city planning.
"Now, we can get on with building a new world-class railway from Mandurah to Clarkson, to underpin an integrated public transport system that gets people where they want to go, comfortably, safely and quickly.
"For commuters it means our railway network will reach to the heart of city employment and have better links with other transport services."
The line will leave the Freeway and enter a tunnel running underground along the foreshore, to a station on the Esplanade near the new convention centre, then continue under William Street to an underground extension of Perth Central Station, where it will link with the Northern Suburbs line, re-emerging west of Lake Street.
Ms MacTiernan said Cabinet's choice of a route through Perth CBD for the faster direct rail link from Mandurah was the final piece in a project that would revolutionise urban public transport and create important new opportunities for the city.
She said the decision was a triumph for extensive consultation on major infrastructure decisions.
"The Perth City Rail Advisory Committee has addressed disruption and planning issues raised by the Government's initial proposal, incorporated new tunnelling technology and developed a result that is a win for Western Australia," the Minister said.
She said the proposal had won the support of the Perth City Council and leading planning and business organisations.
"Now we will be looking to bring the private sector along with us, to take full advantage of this exciting opportunity to create an even more attractive and efficient city," Ms MacTiernan said.
She said benefits made possible by the project, included:

• better public access to the foreshore;
• reducing road infrastructure on Perth's western foreshore;
• sinking rail lines west of the Horseshoe bridge to link Northbridge and the city;
• new commercial and tourism investment along the route; and
• boosting Perth as a shopping and entertainment destination.

The Minister said the plan also allowed for the future construction of a station at Fitzgerald Street, servicing the western end of the CBD and a revitalised and expanded Northbridge.
Based on the committee's costings, the project is expected to add $15.5million to the $1,403million project budget, after identified savings in other parts of the Perth Urban Rail Development project are taken into account.
Construction work on the central route is expected to commence by mid-2003 and be completed by mid-2006. Above surface work along the foreshore and the Esplanade will be completed by June 2004, before the Convention Centre opens.
The Perth Urban Rail Development Project includes the completion of a fast direct South West Metropolitan railway from Mandurah to Perth, extension of the northern suburbs line from Currambine to Clarkson and developing a rail spur from Kenwick.
Ms MacTiernan said she expected that a full Masterplan for the Perth Urban Rail Development project would be completed by the end of June, for consideration by the Government.
A copy of the Perth City Rail Advisory Committee's final report is available at
http://www.wagr.wa.gov.au/pcrac/index.html
Media contacts:
Premier's office: 9222 9475
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