Infrastructure: Butler rail extension opens early and under budget

The $221million rail extension to Butler has opened several months early and $20million under budget, with the first scheduled service on the 7.5 kilometre rail extension leaving Butler Station at 11.51am today.

Opening the extension and the new Butler Station, Premier Colin Barnett said it was a boon for residents in the suburbs of Butler, Jindalee, Two Rocks and Yanchep.

“The Liberal National Government first committed to this project in 2009 and when work started in 2011, there was nothing much around Butler Station other than sand,” Mr Barnett said.

“Since then, entire new streets and suburbs, and with them strong communities, have sprung up.  We expect more than 2,000 passengers a day will choose to take the 37 minute journey to Perth from the new station.”

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the extension would meet the needs of the growing northern suburbs.

“This project will ease congestion on some of our major roads, as well as providing a more convenient public transport option for people living in the city’s north,” he said.

“The station is fully integrated with multiple feeder bus services, has 900 car bays, is well connected to pathways for people who wish to cycle to the train, and has space for dozens of bikes.

“We expect the new station will take pressure off other stations like Clarkson and Currambine.”

Mr Nalder said the State Government had also invested heavily in roads for the northern suburbs.

“We’ve delivered a $28million project to widen the Mitchell Freeway from Hepburn Avenue to Hodges Drive and will spend another $320million extending it to Hester Avenue,” he said.

“This Government will now focus its attention on the $2billion Forrestfield-Airport Link, due to begin construction in 2016, which will open up a new rail corridor to Perth eastern foothills.”

Fact File

  • Government has allocated $1.9billion over four years in public transport infrastructure including the Forrestfield-Airport Link, Aubin Grove Station, Perth Busport and the Edgewater multi-storey car park
  • Workers installed 41,600 tonnes of ballast, 1,870 tonnes of rail and 28,100 concrete sleepers

Source: News Release Transport Minister Dean Nalder, 21 September 2014

http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/pages/StatementDetails.aspx?listName=StatementsBarnett&StatId=8638

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