Master Plan shows new line a winner

13/8/02
The faster, more direct, South West Metropolitan Railway will attract more than 28,000 passengers each weekday - 10,000 more than would have used the previously proposed route.
The new patronage estimates are included in the final master plan for the Perth-Mandurah link and for a rail spur to Thornlie and upgrading on the Armadale line released today by Premier Geoff Gallop and Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan.
The project includes 74km of rail track and 12 new stations and is the major part of the $1.4billion Perth Urban Development Project, which also includes the Currambine to Clarkson extension of the Northern Suburbs Railway and purchase of 93 new railcars.
The Premier said construction work on a new tunnel on the Swan River foreshore would commence before the middle of next year.
"This magnificent project will see our rail network virtually double in length and weekday passenger boardings grow by 66 per cent," Dr Gallop said.
"Almost 25,000 passengers will take the 130kph trains from stations at Mandurah, Waikiki, Rockingham, Thomas Road, Thompson's Lake, South Street, Leach Highway and Canning Bridge.
"At morning peak times, the trip will be up to 20 minutes faster than by car and on arrival in the city, passengers will be able to use the new underground station at the Esplanade, with easy access to the new convention centre, the busport, the foreshore and many offices.
"Alternatively, from an underground platform at Perth Central they can access other rail lines, city shopping and Northbridge or continue north as far as Clarkson.
"Another 3,500 will board at the new Thornlie Station to join the Armadale line, which will also feature a new station at Victoria Park and an upgraded Carlisle Station."
Ms MacTiernan said patronage estimates showed that more frequent trains and faster running times meant the new route would attract substantially more passengers than the previous Government's Kenwick deviation.
"On the section shared by both routes from Mandurah to Thompsons Lake the new route will attract more than 40 per cent more passengers," Ms MacTiernan said.
"Running 12 rather than eight trains per hour from Thompsons Lake at peak and a 40 per cent cut in journey time will increase the number of people boarding the train by 110 per cent.
"The plan estimates that another 9,000 people will board the train at Murdoch, Leach Highway and Canning Bridge Stations.

"We will achieve this with 20 per cent fewer trains than required under the then previous Government's plan - producing a 50 per cent greater efficiency in our use of the rolling stock.
"Further, by reducing the additional burden load on the Armadale line from eight trains per hour to four, we provide opportunities to expand and improve services for south-east metropolitan users into the future."
Ms MacTiernan said that bus routes and schedules would be reorganised to ensure that public transport users could gain maximum benefits from the fast train service.
Environmental Bonus
The Premier said the new patronage figures represented up to 20,000 fewer cars using the freeway every day.
"We estimate that in the morning peak hour in 2006, the new rail line will be carrying the equivalent of between two to three lanes of freeway traffic," Dr Gallop said.
"The impact on Perth's air quality will be significant with a reduction in exhaust emissions of up to 96 tonnes a year, just on the 12km stretch from Murdoch to the Narrows."
Construction Program Details
Ms MacTiernan said the Clarkson extension was already well under way and that more construction would begin next year, with work on the river foreshore and the Thornlie spur line expected to be the first contracts let.
To minimise disruption, construction on the foreshore would be completed in time for the opening of the Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2004.
Strengthening and expansion of the Narrows and Mt Henry Bridges was expected to begin early in 2004, as would work on the main Waikiki, Rockingham to Narrows Bridge section.
Services from Rockingham would commence in 2006 and from Mandurah in 2007.
A $437million contract, for delivery and maintenance of 31 three-car sets and a rail car maintenance facility and depot at Nowergup, was signed in May this year.
City Rail Development Committee
Ms MacTiernan said a City Rail Development Committee, which included Government and Perth City Council representatives and independent specialists, would be established to oversee the construction of the underground link from the Narrows Bridge to the Northern Suburbs line.
The committee would also work to identify and attract funding to lower the Fremantle-Midland lines and develop the land created above, replace the William Street traffic overpass on the foreshore with an underpass and refurbish the Horseshoe Bridge.
Mr Stuart Hicks will chair the committee and Dr Peter Nattrass, Lord Mayor of Perth will represent the City. A list of committee members is detailed below.

The Supplementary Master Plan and additional information are available from the Perth Urban Rail Development website at http://www.purd.transperth.wa.gov.au
Media contacts:
Premiers Office: 9222 9475
Minister's Office: 9213 6400
CITY RAIL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Mr Stuart Hicks, Chair - Mr Hicks also chaired the previous Perth City Rail Advisory Committee;
Dr Peter Nattrass - Lord Mayor, City of Perth
Cr Lisa Scaffidi - Councillor, City of Perth and member of previous Perth City Rail Advisory Committee (PCRAC);
Mr Ross Bowe - Member of the LandCorp Board and former Under Treasurer;
Ms Sharni Howe - Architect and member of PCRAC;
Mr Tony Packer - President, Property Council of Australia (WA Division) and member of PCRAC;
Mr Terry Martin - Chair of the WA Planning Commission;
Mr Reece Waldock - A/Commissioner for Railways; and
Mr Greg Martin - Director General, Department for Planning and Infrastructure.