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Western Australia: Impetus Given to Public Transport

por Patricia
australia occidental

The current Western Australia Government has approved a historical public transport investment plan. This program, called “Transport @ 3.5 Million”, is aimed at providing services to the growing number of people on the territory, which will reach, according to the latest forecasts, 2.7 million by 2031. 

For this reason, we want to give an impetus to the improvement of the entire communication network over the next 15 years. Within this ambitious initiative, the urban mobility has great weight. The “Public Transport Plan 2031” section is aimed at improving the network in the City of Perth and a peripheral radius of 15 kilometers. It identifies the city’s main linking needs, with special emphasis on key areas such as the University and the airport. In particular, faster corridor projects, the expansion of light metro lines and the procurement of new rolling stock are being encouraged. This will be carried out in two stages; the first, by 2020 and the second by 2031.

 Rolling Stock Fleet

The public transport network reinforcement for Perth includes the modernization of its train fleet. Therefore, 1,200 million Australian dollars (€ 804 M) were allocated under the “Public Transport Plan 2031” investment program for the purchase of new rolling stock. Most of these funds will be allocated for the purchase of additional trains that will reinforce the current services, in particular, 156 units in the amount of four million Australian dollars (€ 2.6 M) each; also for 29 new light rails in the amount of 313 million Australian dollars (€ 209.8 M).

Railway Infrastructure in Perth

An investment of 2,900 million Australian dollars (€ 1,943 M) is estimated for public transport in Perth for the next 21 years. The major plans will be focused on the expansion of the current system, with a special reinforcement of the railway in its different modes (light rail, suburban trains, etc.). 180 million (€ 120 M) will be added to this item for workshops and maintenance and light rail areas, as well as interchangers and new parking facilities awarded with 135 million Australian dollars (€ 90.4 M).

 Extensions of Existing Lines

The extension of railway lines will add 220 kilometers to the network. These new works are aimed at meeting the demand, especially in the fastest growing corridors and providing an efficient access between the adjacent areas and the Perth City Center. Future proposals include the extension of the Northern branch in the surroundings of the Butler-Yanchep suburb with stations in Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep (13.8 kilometers). A line linking the Eastern peripheral area to the central line at Bayswater will also be built. There will also be new stations and interchange facilities on the Mandurah de Success and Karnup line. More extensions are planned in the longer term, such as the additional 15 kilometers of the Armadale-Byford and Mundijong lines (15 kilometers) or the extension of the Thornlie network so as to be linked to the Mandurah branch.

Railway Linking to the Airport

Another of the most important urban mobility initiatives will be performed in the City of Perth. The well-known “Forresfield Airport Link” project, which has a budget of 1,860 million Australian dollars (€ 1,246 M) is jointly funded by the Federal Government and Western Australia. After its commissioning, the East of the city will be provided with railway services. There will be three new stations in Belmont, Airport Central and Forrestfield. The railway link will be connected to the existing Midland line, near the Bayswater Station, and it will be directed to Forrestfield via a double tunnel. The main contract for this project was awarded in early 2016 to the U.T.E. SI-NRW (Salini Impregilo – NRW). This award includes the design and construction of eight kilometers of railway tunnels and three new stations; besides the infrastructure maintenance for a period of 10 years, once the project is completed in 2020.

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