❓ Question addresses the Armadale Rail Line shutdown and the government's investment in public transport infrastructure. The Minister details preparations for the transformation, highlighting improvements and criticising the opposition's record.
AnsweredQoN 850Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET —
ARMADALE RAIL LINE — SHUTDOWN
850. Mr H.T. JONES to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the record investment in
public transport infrastructure by the Cook Labor government, which will
benefit generations to come.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the preparations for the biggest transformation of
the Armadale line in 130 years?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
government's support for high-quality public transport compares with that of those opposite?
ARMADALE RAIL LINE — SHUTDOWN
850. Mr H.T. JONES to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the record investment in
public transport infrastructure by the Cook Labor government, which will
benefit generations to come.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the preparations for the biggest transformation of
the Armadale line in 130 years?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
government's support for high-quality public transport compares with that of those opposite?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Darling Range for that
question. Of course, in just six days, we will commence the biggest
transformation of the Armadale rail line ever seen in this state. We will be
delivering seven new train stations, removing 13 level crossings, elevating
five and a half kilometres of rail line and creating more than six hectares of
public open space. Importantly, member, the extension of the rail line to
Byford is a key component of the Armadale line transformation. We understand
that this project will cause disruption and we will be closing the Armadale
rail line for up to 18 months, but we have been working hard to try to manage
the disruption for those involved. I will
go through the number of measures that we have put in place. Of course, we have
offered free public transport to the regular users of public transport along
that route to allow them to get on the replacement buses for free. We have
added more than 100 additional buses to the network.
We
have already done a lot of preparatory work for the project. Over 530 L beams
have already been built and are ready
to be moved onto site. We have created three new bus interchanges at Armadale,
Cannington and Victoria Park. We have created 1.2 kilometres of priority
bus lanes through Victoria Park. We have a new incident response service ready
to make sure that if there is an incident along Welshpool Road, Albany Highway
or Shepperton Road, we can remove the vehicles as soon as possible. We have
installed 40 virtual receivers in traffic lights, which now make those traffic
lights able to prioritise buses in that network
that are running late. They are able to give the buses priority. We have
installed nine CCTV cameras along the route. There are six variable
message signs to inform people about progress and a new app has been developed
and is available for commuters across the entire corridor so that they can be
informed of any disruption and can get information about the estimated time it
will take to get to particular points.
On
the weekend, we held a number of information sessions in Cannington, Carlisle
and Armadale, and they were really well attended. The feedback we got is
that people understand that to have this transformation, these are the
decisions that we had to take, and they were very appreciative of the
information we were giving out. We are very
proud of this project. The boom gates will be removed next Monday. Next Monday ,
the boom gates will be removed. For the residents in Queens Park, member for
Cannington, who see the boom gates down at Wharf Street for between four and
six hours a day, that will all stop next Monday. The boom gates will be shut down, they will be removed and the work will
commence on the transformation.
We are working. I know it is going to
be hard and there will be hiccups along the way, but I am very proud of the
work that we are delivering to the outer areas—areas that the Liberal
Party neglected and the Nationals WA would not know where they are and areas
that are a priority of this government —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition would rip money away from these types of suburbs.
Mr W.J. Johnston : That's
right; you'd never do it.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : He would never do
it. Those who live in the Darling Range electorate, who saw nothing delivered under the previous Liberal–National government, know that only a Labor
government will deliver infrastructure projects of this size in their area.
question. Of course, in just six days, we will commence the biggest
transformation of the Armadale rail line ever seen in this state. We will be
delivering seven new train stations, removing 13 level crossings, elevating
five and a half kilometres of rail line and creating more than six hectares of
public open space. Importantly, member, the extension of the rail line to
Byford is a key component of the Armadale line transformation. We understand
that this project will cause disruption and we will be closing the Armadale
rail line for up to 18 months, but we have been working hard to try to manage
the disruption for those involved. I will
go through the number of measures that we have put in place. Of course, we have
offered free public transport to the regular users of public transport along
that route to allow them to get on the replacement buses for free. We have
added more than 100 additional buses to the network.
We
have already done a lot of preparatory work for the project. Over 530 L beams
have already been built and are ready
to be moved onto site. We have created three new bus interchanges at Armadale,
Cannington and Victoria Park. We have created 1.2 kilometres of priority
bus lanes through Victoria Park. We have a new incident response service ready
to make sure that if there is an incident along Welshpool Road, Albany Highway
or Shepperton Road, we can remove the vehicles as soon as possible. We have
installed 40 virtual receivers in traffic lights, which now make those traffic
lights able to prioritise buses in that network
that are running late. They are able to give the buses priority. We have
installed nine CCTV cameras along the route. There are six variable
message signs to inform people about progress and a new app has been developed
and is available for commuters across the entire corridor so that they can be
informed of any disruption and can get information about the estimated time it
will take to get to particular points.
On
the weekend, we held a number of information sessions in Cannington, Carlisle
and Armadale, and they were really well attended. The feedback we got is
that people understand that to have this transformation, these are the
decisions that we had to take, and they were very appreciative of the
information we were giving out. We are very
proud of this project. The boom gates will be removed next Monday. Next Monday ,
the boom gates will be removed. For the residents in Queens Park, member for
Cannington, who see the boom gates down at Wharf Street for between four and
six hours a day, that will all stop next Monday. The boom gates will be shut down, they will be removed and the work will
commence on the transformation.
We are working. I know it is going to
be hard and there will be hiccups along the way, but I am very proud of the
work that we are delivering to the outer areas—areas that the Liberal
Party neglected and the Nationals WA would not know where they are and areas
that are a priority of this government —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition would rip money away from these types of suburbs.
Mr W.J. Johnston : That's
right; you'd never do it.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : He would never do
it. Those who live in the Darling Range electorate, who saw nothing delivered under the previous Liberal–National government, know that only a Labor
government will deliver infrastructure projects of this size in their area.
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