Western Australia’s Armadale Line shutdown will commence on Monday, November 20, paving the way for a transformational upgrade of the 130-year-old train line over the next 18 months.
During the closure, 5.5 kilometres of elevated rail will be constructed, along with seven new stations, and the extension of the line to Byford.
The project will also remove 13 level crossings that cause significant disruption to the local community, and the creation of around six hectares of public open space that will be turned into new public amenities.
The 13 level crossings will be immediately removed following the commencement of the shut.
The Thornlie-Cockburn Link will also be completed during this time. Two new train stations are being constructed along Nicholson Road and Ranford Road, along the first east-west rail link connecting the Armadale and Mandurah Lines.
The Government also announced seven new temporary bus routes and five enhanced existing bus routes will be put in place during the shutdown.
The replacement bus services will be a combination of limited stop and all stop bus routes, giving passengers options to get to the CBD and other local destinations.
More than 100 additional buses will be used to provide support, as well as around 1.2 kilometres of bus priority lanes, along with the installation of intelligent system technology to help to minimise disruptions to passengers and road users.
There will be some changes to Optus Stadium transport arrangements. Trains will continue to stop at Stadium Station on weekends, public holidays and during events. A new special event bus service (Route 651) will also help eventgoers in Perth’s south-east get to Stadium Bus Station.
The Government is currently assessing options for fare relief to regular Armadale Line passengers impacted by the shut.
Timetables for the new and enhanced routes will be released in September in line with the launch of a community awareness campaign.
Three temporary bus interchanges in Armadale, Cannington and Victoria Park are also being built to support the additional services. The Cannington bus interchange is now complete, with Victoria Park and Armadale to be completed in October.
Safety has been a key consideration in getting ready for the shutdown, with an increase of up to 20 per cent more Transit Officer hours, as well as additional security vehicles being deployed to support the operation.
There will be increased surveillance at the new interchanges and the installation of new CCTV cameras, which are monitored 24/7.
A full line closure will be in place for three days from the start of the shutdown to allow for essential works to enable passenger services to operate between Victoria Park and Perth. After this, trains will run between Victoria Park and Perth.
The community will be able to access the latest information from the Armadale Line Shutdown Hub on the Public Transport Authority website: https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/Track-Closures/Armadale-and-Thornlie-Line-Shutdown
Meanwhile, Australind passengers will be offered a 50 per cent discount on fares when travelling on replacement road coaches during the shutdown.
From Monday, November 20, the Australind train will be replaced by road coaches, which will run twice a day in each direction.
The decision to replace the Australind train with road coaches followed community responses to a comprehensive independent survey conducted by Transwa last year.
Feedback was received from community members who had regularly used the train service over the previous year.
The road coach replacements will operate from East Perth terminal instead of Perth Station and will include an all-stops and a limited-stop service.
The limited-stop service will also include a stop at Kwinana Station – meaning passengers who wish to arrive at Perth Train Station can transfer to the Mandurah Line. There will be no additional cost for passengers who transfer to the Mandurah Line.
The 50 per cent discount fares are for passenger bookings for the Australind train road coach replacement services only.
The road coaches will stop at the same locations as the Australind train, with Kwinana as an additional stop.
The reopening of the Australind will also coincide with the delivery of six new diesel railcars (two three-car sets) which will be manufactured locally in Bellevue and will replace the existing fleet between Perth and Bunbury.
