Metronet elevated rail a lost opportunity, council claims

A $1.1 billion proposal to build Perth’s first elevated rail as part of Metronet has hit a snag, with the Town of Victoria Park council recommending it be rejected.

The state government’s Metronet project includes an elevated rail along the Armadale line, constructed by removing Victoria Park–Canning level crossings, and new elevated stations at Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park and Cannington.

The Armadale Line Upgrade Alliance, on behalf of the Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery and rail operator Public Transport Authority of WA, submitted an application to construct a viaduct structure and start enabling works for a part of the elevated rail between Mint-Archer and Briggs streets.

The Town of Victoria Park was asked to provide its recommendation to the final decision maker, the Western Australian Planning Commission.

Despite the town’s planning officers supporting the application, the council went against its own staff to recommend refusal of the project at a special meeting last night.

The proposed elevated rail in Town of Victoria Park. Image: Metronet

Victoria Park Mayor Karen Vernon said an elevated rail was not the best outcome for the community, reinforcing the council’s preference for an underground option.

“I am of the view that this is a lost opportunity on the part of the state government to have done something truly transformational with this area, and to have actually undergrounded the rail and to have given us back large parts of land,” she said.

“As it stands, what would be done now will be things that are worked in and around a concrete structure.

“The amount of concrete that is going to go in this stretch of close to one kilometre or more through our town will not, in my view, be ameliorated by planting some trees in and around the area.

“I also don’t consider that the introduction of some amenities that might be used for some people would make up for the greater opportunities we could’ve had for real land that would’ve truly amalgamated both sides of the railway line in the future.”

Following the meeting, transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the council's response was disappointing, particularly after extensive engagements on the project.

"The council had an opportunity to provide constructive feedback and be an active part of delivering positive outcomes for their community, but instead they’ve gone down the path of political point scoring and grandstanding," she said.

"I encourage council to start thinking about the role they want to play in this project, which has the capacity to deliver significant benefits by freeing up around six hectares of land for community use, improved vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist connections and new modern stations."

Ms Vernon’s fellow elected members unanimously backed her motion to recommend refusal.

Additional reasons for the council's refusal include claiming the long-term benefits of an underground solution outweigh those of an elevated rail, and the majority of public submissions objecting the proposal during the consultation period.

The alliance community and stakeholder manager Claire Paddison said this application was only the first step, before submitting a more detailed design of the new elevated stations.

"The enabling works are critical for the timely implementation of the project and to reduce that overall construction timeline particularly as we are proposing an 18-month rail shutdown period," she said.

An application to start early works and piling for the viaduct for the City of Canning portion of the proposed elevated rail line has also been lodged with the city.

The state government anticipated to spend nearly $2 billion to upgrade and extend the Armadale line, with the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing removal estimated to cost nearly $1.1 billion.

An 18-month closure of the Armadale line has been scheduled for the end of 2023, to allow for construction.

In June 2020, the state government announced an elevated rail was the preferred option for removing five of the level crossings on the Armadale line.

However, an underground option to replace the level crossings has been the council’s preference since its meeting in mid-2020.