Perth’s Metronet expansion has begun operations after the launch of the Thornlie-Cockburn Line and elevated Armadale Line section.
It marks completion of the major elements of one of Western Australia’s largest transport infrastructure projects of recent years after more than 18 months of construction disruption across the city’s south-eastern suburbs.
The 17km, $2.1-billion Thornlie-Cockburn Line is Perth’s first east-west rail connection, linking the previously separate Mandurah and Armadale lines.
The new route includes stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road, and major upgrades to stations at Thornlie, Cockburn Central and Perth Stadium.
The transformation caused significant disruption to residents and businesses during construction.
The Armadale Line was closed for 18 months from early 2023 to enable faster and safer construction, according to the State Government, which said at the time that the shutdown was the least disruptive option over the longer term compared to multiple shorter closures.
According to WA media, road closures and restricted access left retail and hospitality operators facing reduced customer access and revenue losses, which was particularly challenging for businesses in the Carlisle corridor where roadworks limited access across multiple retail precincts.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said the project would give “people in Perth’s south-eastern suburbs more travel choices, addressing road congestion, and stimulating land development to help deliver well-planned and more liveable communities”.
The $2.5-billion elevated portion of the Armadale Line section runs 8km from Perth to Beckenham, and includes five new stations, at Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park, Cannington and Beckenham.
The elevation project removed six level crossings, eliminating traffic delays that totalled up to six hours a day for some of the locations.
Freight services will not use the new line, rather an existing 22km freight line was relocated to the north of the new line as part of the project.
About 84,000 sleepers and 180,000 tonnes of gravel were used for the Thornlie-Cockburn Line alone.
Supporting infrastructure includes 1400 parking bays across three stations and more than 20 new bus routes, with 11 services directly connecting to the Nicholson Road and Ranford Road stations.
The elevated rail infrastructure has enabled the creation of Long Park, a 7km linear parkland beneath the tracks with community facilities and green spaces. Completion is expected during the third quarter of this year.
The remainder of the Armadale Line, including new stations at Armadale and Byford, is still under construction and reopening is scheduled for this year.
WA transport minister Rita Saffioti said the new infrastructure would connect tens of thousands of residents to rail services for the first time and provide direct access to Optus Stadium from the Mandurah Line during major events.
The Metronet program faced criticism from state opposition over cost increases and project delays.
An opposition transport spokesperson claimed the entire program was $15.8 billion over budget and diverted resources from other infrastructure priorities including hospitals, schools and housing.
The final costs of the Thornlie-Cockburn Line and elevated stations was almost triple the government’s initial projections, and delivery was about four years later than originally expected.
The south-eastern expansion follows the opening of the $1.65-billion Ellenbrook Line in Perth’s north-east, which ended a 16-year wait for rail connectivity for 50,000 residents.
