Perth to Embark on Bold Scheme
Bold Scheme or Bold Failure in Perth?
It seems Perth is about to embark on A$1 billion light rail scheme that will be around 22km-long and carry around 35,000 passengers by 2031.
Construction start date is about 2016.
But will it be bold and transform Perth, or will the Rail Fallacy strike and turn the project into a massive White Elephant.
Will Light Rail Proposals Transform Perth?
Western Australia’s Transport Minister, Troy Buswell, has announced proposals for a new light rail network linking the inner northern suburbs of Perth with the CBD.
With Perth’s population set to reach 2.7 million by 2031 and the number of people using public transport expected to double by then, a suitable infrastructure solution is critical for the city’s development.
It is hoped that a new 22-kilometre rail line, which is expected to carry 35,000 passengers per day by 2031, will ease these concerns. The plans, Buswell says, will transform the city, with the minister working hard behind the scenes to ensure they get delivered.
Despite the optimism in some corners, however, others remain unconvinced.
You can read the rest of the article at Design Build Source dot com dot au.
This light rail project Perth seems to mirror our own multi-billion dollar City Rail Link with one side harping on about the benefits, while the other side is mainly doom and gloom. There is the third side, the side I am on (which is wants the CRL but with the business case redone from scratch, the project delayed a few years, and most of all a better dialogue between ratepayer and politician!
Shall we wait and see how Perth pans out?
