Saffioti reveals road upgrade plans

Port infrastructure at Cockburn Sound and major roads servicing the area, including parts of the Kwinana Freeway, will be upgraded in advance of the proposed Westport development.

The early works will include construction of a new Kwinana Bulk Terminal and upgrades to Anketell Road, potentially all the way to Thomas Road.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti shed more light on the government’s plans at an industry briefing this morning on the Westport project.

It came one day after the government unveiled a preferred design and location for Westport, which features a new land-backed container port at Cockburn Sound.

The next steps in the project include completion of a business case, which Westport managing director Patrick Seares said would be delivered by the middle of next year.

This will include an update on the cost, which has previously been estimated at $4 billion.

Ms Saffioti continued to be cagey on the exact timing but signalled the new port would be at least a decade away.   

“In the mid to late 2030s we want this new port to be operating,” she said.

However, the minister confirmed there would be substantial investments before construction of the port begins.

“There will be a lot of early investment in road and rail,” Ms Saffioti said.

“There is no doubt we will need to upgrade the Kwinana Freeway between Anketell Road and Russell Road very soon anyway because of the congestion issues.

“The Kwinana Freeway widening is something we are starting to plan now and will probably invest in that in the next three to four years.”

Another early project will be the upgrade of the western end of Anketell Road, between the coast and the freeway.

Mr Seares said this would be necessary to support construction and development of the proposed port.

Once the port is operational, the road upgrades on Anketell West, the Freeway and Roe Highway will support increased truck movements to industrial and logistics hubs around Kewdale.

Ms Saffioti revealed today she was keen to see Anketell Road upgraded all the way to Thomas Road, which, in turn, will facilitate truck movements to Tonkin Hwy.

“I’m very keen to see Anketell East connect to Thomas [Road],” she said.

“The planning shows the best value for money in the shorter term is to use Roe [Highway] and the freeway, but I’m very keen to connect into Tonkin [Highway].”

Ms Saffioti noted a planning control area was in place for Anketell East and said the government was negotiating with landowners to get the corridor protected.

“From our perspective, if we can bring on that link earlier than the Westport plan, we will be happy to do that,” she said.

The minister added that Main Roads had developed an optimal solution for Anketell East, with full interchanges, but noted there was also a medium-term solution.

As well as the early road upgrades, the Kwinana Bulk Terminal will be replaced.

The existing terminal, best described as an ageing jetty, is located in the middle of the proposed new container wharf.

The new terminal will be located about 1.2 kilometres south and will be connected via road and conveyors to landside infrastructure.

It will later be integrated with the new container port, effectively forming its southern boundary.

Ms Saffioti said the government was exploring opportunities for private sector involvement in Westport but not in the core marine infrastructure.

“It is, in a sense, common-user infrastructure and we can’t have that owned by the private sector," she said.

“But in relation to berths and landside [infrastructure], we are looking at how we can get some private sector investment.”

Ms Saffioti said this would most likely be in the funding.

“Our feedback, particularly in this era of cost escalation, is there is not a lot of hunger for the private sector to be involved in the build because of the cost risk," she said.

“So we will be looking at how we can partner with the private sector, particularly in getting some private sector financing.

“We are doing some further work on that model but there is no doubt there will be a significant cost to government.”

Mr Seares said the Westport taskforce had already done a lot of market testing around the appetite for joint venture models.

The minister confirmed the government was still exploring options for the so-called roll-on, roll-off trade, including vehicle imports, which currently come into the state via Victoria Quay at the existing inner harbour at Fremantle.

The two options were to transfer this trade to North Quay (which will be freed up once container trade shifts to Cockburn Sound) or alternatively to Bunbury.

The automotive sector has previously expressed alarm at the possibility of vehicle imports coming via Bunbury.