WESTERN Australia has frozen public transport fares for 12 months while introducing a two-tier ticketing system which will see commuters in Perth’s outer suburbs pay significantly less to travel from January 1 2022.
The initiative was contained in the state budget, with Western Australia being the only state or territory in the country to record a budget surplus.
The 2020-2021 budget builds on last year’s record investment, with the government setting aside $A 1.7bn ($US 1.3bn) to spend on Metronet this financial year.
The allocation includes:
- $A 354.5m for the soon-to-be-completed Forrestfield-Airport Link project
- $A 275.3m for 246 locally made EMU cars at Alstom’s local assembly and manufacturing facility at Bellevue
- $A 195m for the Thornlie-Cockburn Link, Perth’s first east-west rail connection
- $A 184.7m for the Yanchep Rail Extension, with three new stations
- $A 144.6m for removal of level crossings
- $A 207.2m for other projects like the Morley - Ellenbrook Line, Byford Rail Extension and Midland Station project
- $A 92.3m to build the new Bayswater Station, the first stage of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line
- $A 31.5m to deliver a multi-storey car park at Mandurah Station, and
- $A 16.3m to help plan and build Lakelands Station.
For detailed data on Australian rail projects, subscribe to IRJ Pro.