A key milestone has been reached on two major METRONET projects, with preferred proponents announced to design and build the Byford Rail Extension and Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal projects.
The Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal project will see the Armadale Line Upgrade Alliance (ALUA comprising Acciona Construction Australia Pty Ltd, BMD Constructions Pty Ltd, WSP Australia Pty Ltd and AECOM Australia Pty Ltd) work to remove level crossings along the Armadale Line at Mint Street, Oats Street, Welshpool Road, Hamilton Street and Wharf Street and replace them with elevated rail.
New elevated stations will be built at Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park and Cannington, which will enable safer and improved rail connections to schools and businesses.
The gates at each of these level crossings are down for more than three hours a day, causing traffic congestion and frustration for commuters.
The MetCONNX Alliance (comprising Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd, Pritchard Francis Consulting Pty Ltd and Kellog Brown & Root Pty Ltd) will extend the Armadale Line eight kilometres south for the Byford Rail Extension. A new Byford Station, located 400 metres north of Abernethy Road, will provide future passengers with a 42-minute train journey to the Perth CBD and support the growing town centre.
Following additional funding from the Morrison Government in May 2021, the Byford Rail Extension project has expanded to include removing level crossings at Armadale Road, Forrest Road and Church Avenue by elevating the rail and Armadale Station in this area.
Early work on the Byford Rail Extension is already underway on the Thomas Road Over Rail Project.
Negotiations with the preferred proponent for each project will commence to finalise the detailed scope and cost of the project, before an Alliance contract is signed in coming months.
The Morrison and Western Australian Governments have worked together to allocate up to an additional $600 million to these two major projects and the New METRONET Midland Station project.
The Morrison Government has also allocated an additional $25 million to the Canning Bridge Interchange project.
The additional budget allocation reflects market cost pressures and project scope changes.
As stated by Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher:
"The Morrison Government is continuing to fund the delivery of important infrastructure projects like METRONET, which help people to get home to their families sooner and safer, move freight more quickly between our cities, and generate jobs across the country.
"These projects are being funded as part of the Morrison Government's record $110 billion, 10 year infrastructure investment pipeline, which is helping to drive Australia's economic recovery."
As stated by WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"We're another step closer to saying 'Bye Bye Boom Gates', with negotiations now underway with a preferred proponent to deliver the METRONET Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project.
"This project will completely revitalise Victoria Park and Cannington, with new elevated stations to be constructed, freeing up land under the train line for community use.
"I will also be working with local members and key stakeholders about an action strategy for the land that will be freed up under the elevated rail.
"The suburb of Byford is growing rapidly and it's important we deliver the infrastructure for the future now.
"When the Byford Rail Extension is complete, Byford residents will be able to travel to the Perth CBD for the cost of a two-zone fare, with our capped public transport fare structure coming into effect from January 2022."
