❓ Hon Steve Martin asks the Minister for Transport about the extent of 'dead running' (trains running without passengers) on the Perth public transport network, seeking detailed figures and historical comparisons. The Minister acknowledges the practice, explains recent increases due to expansion projects, and commits to efficiency improvements.
AnsweredQoN 547Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to dead running (i.e. public transport trains travelling without passengers), and I ask: (a) how many kilometres did Public Transport Authority trains travel in total for the month of March 2025; (b) in relation to the figure in (a), how many kilometres, expressed both as a percentage and a raw figure, of the travel took place when trains were empty; (c) in relation to (b), please provide a further breakdown of dead running kilometres for the month of March 2025 by line, including: (i) Joondalup; (ii) Mandurah; (iii) Armadale; (iv) Thornlie; (v) Fremantle; (vi) Midland; (vii) Airport; and (viii) Ellenbrook; and (d) in relation to both (a) and (b), what are the corresponding figures for the month of March in each of the following years: (i) 2024; (ii) 2023; (iii) 2022; (iv) 2021; (v) 2020; (vi) 2019; (vii) 2018; and (viii) 2017?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport
Response time
5 days
(a)-(d) Dead running is a normal practice in public transport and is unavoidable in the operation of an efficient network, but Transperth Trains works to minimise this as much as possible.
Dead running has increased on the network recently as a result of driver training activities for the new Yanchep Rail Extension, Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Thornlie-Cockburn Line and the Byford Rail Extension; and as a result of the operational patterns of the Yanchep Rail Extension and the Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
The Government will continue working to identify efficiencies where possible.
Dead running has increased on the network recently as a result of driver training activities for the new Yanchep Rail Extension, Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Thornlie-Cockburn Line and the Byford Rail Extension; and as a result of the operational patterns of the Yanchep Rail Extension and the Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
The Government will continue working to identify efficiencies where possible.
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