Fast track to boost infill

As the state government pushes ahead with its Metronet rollout, property and planning experts say more transport infrastructure is needed to fill the gaps.

While the concept of mid-tier transport has been touted by various levels of government for some time, a recent push by a collection of local governments and property groups has brought the issue to the fore.

A consortium of at least 15 local governments, led by City of Canning planning manager Sergio Famiano, is encouraging the state government to fund a mid-tier transport plan in its next budget.

Local government areas of Canning, Victoria Park, Perth, Vincent, Subiaco, Nedlands, Stirling, Bayswater, Melville, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Cockburn, Kwinana, Rockingham and Bassendean all support the plan.

In addition, the cities of Joondalup and Mandurah are considering joining the consortium.

The consortium's proposed routes. Graphic: City of Canning

Mr Famiano said a strategy to incorporate mid-tier transport, which included light rail, trackless trams and rapid bus technology, would complement Perth’s population growth.

“When you look at the next 25 years and think of Perth at three-and-a-half million people, if we don’t have a quality mid-tier public transport system supporting our existing transport systems it is going to be a very congested city,” he told a recent Urban Development Institute of Australia WA event.

“Let’s be honest, mid-tier public transport has been discussed, it’s been attempted in the past, but it just hasn’t gained traction, and that’s something we need to change.”

Mr Famiano said the consortium identified some key transport routes for Perth that were not included in Metronet, but in many cases connected Metronet lines.

A link between Cannington and Canning Bridge, for example, would connect two train stations, link a metropolitan centre with Curtin University, and have a strong east-west connection, he said.

“[That] is missing in Perth,” Mr Famiano said.

“We don’t have a lot of strong-east west connections; we have a lot of north-south connections.”

The group also identified a route from Curtin to Victoria Park and into the city centre, which would take in corridors poised for density and development.

The plan would also include North Coogee, where Frasers Property Australia is developing its landmark Port Coogee project.

The area also includes the derelict South Fremantle Power Station.

Mr Famanio said DevelopmentWA’s Shoreline project on the Cockburn Coast could also be captured by these transport modes.

“A mid-tier public transport option of bus rapid transit or light rail would connect Fremantle train station to Cockburn Central train station via the Shoreline and Port Coogee projects, so it would support the longer-term vision for the precinct,” he said.

“It could also provide the catalyst needed to rejuvenate the South Fremantle Power Station and ensure that whole location is the tourist destination it deserves to be.”

Frasers Property Australia, as well as Peet, Satterley, Fini Group, Nicheliving, Lendlease and Mirvac are among the developers listed as supporting the consortium’s mid-tier public transport network strategy. 

UDIA WA chief executive Tanya Steinbeck expressed her support of mid-tier transport, saying it would provide much-needed next-level connectivity between Metronet and other modes of public transport.

“There’s a strong nexus between mid-tier public transport such as light rail and the development of high- and medium-density housing in Australia,” Ms Steinbeck said.

“In Perth, mid-tier transport options could be used to connect Metronet train stations with housing developments, shopping precincts, employment areas and health hubs, reducing the reliance on cars.”

She said there was a solid opportunity to combine the state government’s existing plans for transport with local governments’ knowledge about how infill suburbs should connect.

Mr Famanio said there was still a lot of work to do to formulate a detailed strategy, which would require state government support.

“We are basically saying … let’s get the route alignments sorted out, let’s get the corridors sorted out, and the next thing we’ll do is we’ll talk about what vehicles it should be,” he said.

“Should it be light rail, should it be trackless tram, bus rapid transit … [or] … a combination?”

The City of Stirling recently formulated a business case for trackless trams from Glendalough train station to Scarborough Beach.

Mr Famanio said the work council had done on its business case supported that of the consortium, though Stirling had taken the extra step to consider transport modes.

State response

The most recent state budget allocated $6 billion over the next four years to Metronet, with the total rollout of the program expected to reach $9.1 billion.

The state government has undertaken its own study into mid-tier transport. Graphic: Department of Transport

The project, which has been plagued with delays and cost blowouts, is described by the state government as the biggest expansion to the public transport system in Western Australia’s history.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government had undertaken its own study into a mid-tier transport network, which resulted in similar outcomes to the local governments’ work.

While the government would not (and had no plans to) release the details of the study, it provided a map outlining the areas it foresaw as suitable for mid-tier transport.

Ms Saffioti said the government was busy delivering Metronet but would continue to “work better to integrate our public transport system”.

She pointed out the high-frequency 900-series bus route already in place.

“There are significant opportunities to use this network as the basis to deliver outcomes aligned with mid-tier transport objectives, and Metronet will coordinate work across the transport portfolio, along with land-use planning teams, to develop options for how these services can be made more accessible, competitive and attractive,” Ms Saffioti told Business News.

“Further engagement with local governments on this work is expected to commence in early 2023.”

Ms Saffioti added it was important the government delivered an integrated system rather than standalone projects that did not work with the entire system.

The Committee for Perth also support the local government consortium’s call, as did BGC, Scentre Group, Perron Group, Stockland, Tourism WA, the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and the WA Local Government Association.

However, the City of Swan did not sign on to the consortium.