WA government hails Yanchep train extension 'spectacular project' despite cost, time blow-outs
After almost five years and a one-billion-dollar investment, the WA Government's latest Metronet project in Perth's northern suburbs has opened with significant fanfare. While locals are excited about the rail extension to Yanchep, some planning experts are cautioning against further urban sprawl.
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00:00A long-awaited moment.
00:04WA's premier among the first passengers to ride the 15-kilometre railway extension covering
00:11three new train stations in Perth's north, Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchip.
00:18We promised the people of this area that we would extend the line to Yanchip and today
00:24we are very happy to say mission accomplished.
00:27While passengers travelled for free on Sunday, the ride didn't come cheap.
00:32The project's price tag has more than doubled since it was first announced, costing the
00:38government more than $1 billion and opening almost two years later than promised.
00:44Worth every cent, according to the Transport Minister.
00:48To be able to deliver this type of infrastructure means Western Australia and Perth is well
00:53placed to continue to be the most liveable city in the nation.
00:58It will take 49 minutes to travel between the furthest station, Yanchip, and Perth,
01:04with the extension expected to serve 150,000 future residents.
01:09Now that it's built up and we're getting the railway in, I think it's going to do good
01:14things and bring good people out here as well.
01:16New data shows more than half of Perth's population don't have access to decent public transport.
01:23Experts say more trains are part of the solution, but they're also calling for an end to Perth's
01:28urban sprawl.
01:29Our city is too long, it's 150 kilometres long.
01:35That's one of the worst in the world.
01:36You've got to build around the stations to make that work.
01:39You've got to have people living close by and we haven't done that enough in Metronet.
01:47Another major rail project connecting Ellenbrook and Morley is due to finish later this year.
01:53For more information, visit www.fema.gov