❓ The Minister for Transport provides an update on the Smart Freeways project, highlighting positive feedback and reduced travel times, attributing its success to the redirection of funds from the cancelled Perth Freight Link project. The Minister also acknowledges traffic disruptions during construction and thanks the community for their patience.
AnsweredQoN 646Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SMART FREEWAYS INITIATIVE
646. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Transport:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's efforts to support local jobs
and local businesses through its unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure as the state recovers from the
economic impact of COVID-19. Can the minister update the house on what
the smart freeways project has meant for commuters and whether this would have
been possible unless a decision was made to not proceed with the flawed and
uneconomical Perth Freight Link?
646. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Transport:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's efforts to support local jobs
and local businesses through its unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure as the state recovers from the
economic impact of COVID-19. Can the minister update the house on what
the smart freeways project has meant for commuters and whether this would have
been possible unless a decision was made to not proceed with the flawed and
uneconomical Perth Freight Link?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Bicton for
that question. Of course, the member for Bicton has been fighting for her
community from day one. What an excellent member for Bicton she is. The
feedback on the smart freeways has been excellent and it has delivered results.
The only reason that we got to do the smart freeways project is that we
redirected funds from the Perth Freight Link project. Across the southern
suburbs—I see the member for Baldivis in the Speaker's gallery—we
have delivered significant road improvements.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Vasse is the only person in Western Australia who believes that the smart
freeways project has not delivered results. The opposition flies around the
community like a ball of negativity about every project, including the smart
freeways project. Let me refer to some of the projects that are delivering
results, such as the Murdoch Drive connection and the Manning Road on-ramp,
member for South Perth. Otherwise known as the John McGrath on-ramp.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am thinking
about it, member.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! We do
not want to wake up the member for South Perth!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We already
have the John McGrath clubrooms in South Perth. There are only so many things
that can be called John McGrath in one area, but we are still considering the
on-ramp.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : The only
thing left is the train station.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Potentially.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Whatever John
wants, the minister gives!
Mr P.C. Tinley : She is a river
to her people.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am not sure
what that meant, member.
Moving on. The freeway widening has
delivered results. The Karel Avenue project and the High Street project are underway. The projects across the southern suburbs
are delivering results. I thank the Western Australian community for its
patience in delivering these road projects. We know there has been a lot of
traffic management, deviation and detours, but I thank the community. We have
underway the Metronet project in the middle of the freeway. Those who have driven past have seen the new piers
being built for the new North Lake Road–Armadale Road bridge ,
which will decongest that area. Someone said to me the other day, ''I
couldn't believe I was driving past Cockburn because I didn't
have to stop.'' That is the type of feedback that I am getting. The
feedback has been incredible: from letters to the editor to comments on
Twitter. One comment was, ''It took me 20 minutes from door to desk via
the smart freeway from Cockburn to the city. I am a convert.'' That was
by a journalist from a news outlet that does not normally praise the
government. I will not mention the organisation. That journalist tweeted about
their record travel time getting to the city. We are getting positive feedback
across the social media platforms. Of course, that is backed up by the
statistics. The stats show that between 8.00 am and 9.00 am on Tuesday, 8
September, it took 10.8 minutes to travel
from Roe Highway to the Narrows Bridge, compared with 20 minutes previously—a halving of travel time. The savings were there across the whole morning.
That is yet another example of the type of project that, since we won
government and stopped the flawed projects and redirected the funds, are
delivering results across the southern and northern suburbs and across regional
Western Australia. We will continue to deliver road projects that are worthwhile and deliver results. Already we have
seen the complete transformation of transport in the southern suburbs
and we will continue to roll out projects like this across the state.
that question. Of course, the member for Bicton has been fighting for her
community from day one. What an excellent member for Bicton she is. The
feedback on the smart freeways has been excellent and it has delivered results.
The only reason that we got to do the smart freeways project is that we
redirected funds from the Perth Freight Link project. Across the southern
suburbs—I see the member for Baldivis in the Speaker's gallery—we
have delivered significant road improvements.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Vasse is the only person in Western Australia who believes that the smart
freeways project has not delivered results. The opposition flies around the
community like a ball of negativity about every project, including the smart
freeways project. Let me refer to some of the projects that are delivering
results, such as the Murdoch Drive connection and the Manning Road on-ramp,
member for South Perth. Otherwise known as the John McGrath on-ramp.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am thinking
about it, member.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! We do
not want to wake up the member for South Perth!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We already
have the John McGrath clubrooms in South Perth. There are only so many things
that can be called John McGrath in one area, but we are still considering the
on-ramp.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : The only
thing left is the train station.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Potentially.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Whatever John
wants, the minister gives!
Mr P.C. Tinley : She is a river
to her people.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am not sure
what that meant, member.
Moving on. The freeway widening has
delivered results. The Karel Avenue project and the High Street project are underway. The projects across the southern suburbs
are delivering results. I thank the Western Australian community for its
patience in delivering these road projects. We know there has been a lot of
traffic management, deviation and detours, but I thank the community. We have
underway the Metronet project in the middle of the freeway. Those who have driven past have seen the new piers
being built for the new North Lake Road–Armadale Road bridge ,
which will decongest that area. Someone said to me the other day, ''I
couldn't believe I was driving past Cockburn because I didn't
have to stop.'' That is the type of feedback that I am getting. The
feedback has been incredible: from letters to the editor to comments on
Twitter. One comment was, ''It took me 20 minutes from door to desk via
the smart freeway from Cockburn to the city. I am a convert.'' That was
by a journalist from a news outlet that does not normally praise the
government. I will not mention the organisation. That journalist tweeted about
their record travel time getting to the city. We are getting positive feedback
across the social media platforms. Of course, that is backed up by the
statistics. The stats show that between 8.00 am and 9.00 am on Tuesday, 8
September, it took 10.8 minutes to travel
from Roe Highway to the Narrows Bridge, compared with 20 minutes previously—a halving of travel time. The savings were there across the whole morning.
That is yet another example of the type of project that, since we won
government and stopped the flawed projects and redirected the funds, are
delivering results across the southern and northern suburbs and across regional
Western Australia. We will continue to deliver road projects that are worthwhile and deliver results. Already we have
seen the complete transformation of transport in the southern suburbs
and we will continue to roll out projects like this across the state.
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