The WA government has revealed the planned route for the new Metronet urban rail extension to the growing Ellenbrook town centre in Perth’s northeast.
The 21-kilometre rail extension will run from Ellenbrook, down the western side of New Lord Street, through land north of Marshall Road and then down the middle of Tonkin Highway, to connect with the Midland Line at Bayswater station.
Along the route five stations will be built: Ellenbrook, Whiteman Park, Malaga, Noranda and Morley. Measures will also be taken to facilitate a future station at Bennett Springs East, once population growth justifies its construction.
WA premier Mark McGowan said on August 4 the state was finalising a business case for the line, ahead of its submission to Infrastructure Australia.
“The rail line to Ellenbrook is the signature Metronet project. We promised to build it, and we’re delivering on that promise,” McGowan said.
“This is a transformational project for our rail network – delivering world-class public transport to residents of Ellenbrook and the north-eastern suburbs. It is another job-creating Metronet project and will also help reduce congestion on local roads.”
The state says Perth’s north-eastern suburbs are some of Australia’s fastest-growing, with the population there expected to almost double in the 25 years to 2031, to more than 415,000.
With travel times from the area already unacceptable, transport minister Rita Saffioti said the major project was needed ahead of further growth.
“Currently it takes residents in Ellenbrook around one hour to get to the CBD when using public transport,” Saffioti said. “The Morley-Ellenbrook Line will halve that journey time.”