Metronet given $1.34bn boost in Australia

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A stock photo of the rail network in Perth. Credit: Kikujungboy/Shutterstock.
A stock photo of the rail network in Perth. Credit: Kikujungboy/Shutterstock.
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The Government of Western Australia has allocated $1.34 billion from its 2017-18 budget to Metronet, to expand Perth’s rail network.

The long-term plan will connect suburbs with “world class” public transport infrastructure and create thousands of jobs.

The state funding – the majority of which comes from the cancelled Perth Freight Link project – will be allocated over the next four years and follows $792 million from the federal government from its 2017-18 budget.

State officials said that as further planning work is completed, additional funding will be announced and that around $104.8 million of revenue is expected from land sales and a new value-capture method, to offset the cost of Metronet.

The first Metronet project, the Forrestfield-Airport link, will have around $406.5 million expended on it in 2017-18.


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A further breakdown of the budget is as follows:

  • $535.8 million for the Thornlie-Cockburn ink (with $423 million over four years)
  • $520.2 million for the Yanchep Rail extension (with $440.8 million over four years)
  • $22.1 million allocated for detailed planning and design work of the Morley-Ellenbrook line and Byford Rail extension
  • $70 million to remove the Denny Avenue level crossing and begin planning for the future removal of level crossings at Caledonian Avenue, Oats Street and Wharf Street
  • $28.2 million towards the Midland station project
  • Planning for the new Karnup station on the Mandurah line
  • A new multi-storey car park at Mandurah station, with $16.1 million allocated, subject to a matching funding contribution from the Federal government.

In order to increase service frequency, $7.4 million has also been allocated to undertake planning for an automatic train control system to replace the existing signalling system.

Transport minister Rita Saffioti said: “Metronet is our long-term plan to not just reduce traffic congestion, but to connect our suburbs and drive sustainable new developments.

“Work is underway on the Yanchep Rail extension and the Thornlie-Cockburn link projects, with business cases already submitted to Infrastructure Australia.

“Construction has started on the Forrestfield-Airport link and is expected to be completed by late 2020 and detailed planning work will now be completed for the Morley-Ellenbrook line and the Byford rail extension.”

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