METRONET involves the construction of approximately 72 kilometres of new passenger rail, 18 stations, multiple level crossing removals, as well as signalling and fleet upgrades across Perth's rail network. METRONET was Government of Western Australia's headline transport commitment at the 2017 WA State election. First proposed in 2013, the project will significantly expand Perth's current heavy rail network. The major works on the project consists of:
- construction of Forrestfield-Airport Link
- construction of a new rail line to Morley and Ellenbrook
- extension of the Joondalup line to Yanchep
- extension of the Armadale line to Byford
- construction of the Thornlie to Cockburn link, the first section of a circle line intersecting all existing and proposed METRONET first stage rail lines
- construction of a new Midland Station
- level crossing removals on the Armadale line
- High Capacity Signalling upgrade
- Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing Facility
- Rolling Stock procurement, and
- New Bayswater Station.
The WA Government has also indicated the first stage will include planning work for an inner suburb light rail system.
Key Dates
Apr 2016 | Contract Award for Forrestfield-Airport Link |
Dec 2019 | Contract Award for Yanchep Extension and Thornlie-Cockburn Link |
Dec 2019 | Contract Award for Rolling Stock Procurement |
Oct 2020 | Contract Award for Morley Ellenbrook main works |
Mar 2022 | Contract Award for new Midland Station |
Funding contributions
Federal Government | |
WA Government | |
2020-21 Western Australian Budget noted total allocated funding for specific METRONET projects as $4.9 billion. This included expenditure already incurred, and commitments over the forward estimate period to FY2023-24. In addition, the 2020-21 WA Budget included a $2 billion capital provision for projects under development at the time, including Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Byford Rail Extension, Midland Station Redevelopment and High-Capacity Signalling Project. These allocations and provisions included the Federal Government's commitments at the time. The Federal Government's May 2021 funding commitments have further increased these funding envelopes from each government. The 2021-22 Western Australian Budget allocated an additional $817 million to the Metronet program, with funding to be split across the program with key allocations to the Armadale Line Level crossing removals, Byford Extension and High Capacity Signalling updates. |
Procurement
Procuring Agency: | Public Transport Authority |
Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
May 2017 | In the 2017-18 Federal Budget, the Government announced that $792 million would be allocated towards METRONET, which would be sourced from the reallocated $1.2 billion Federal commitment to the now cancelled Perth Freight Link. METRONET's Federal funding was subject to a positive assessment of its business cases by Infrastructure Australia (IA). |
Sep 2017 | As part of the 2017-18 State Budget, $1.34 billion was allocated over the next four years to start work on stage one METRONET priority projects. |
Feb 2018 | The WA Government released a design tender for a new rail operations control centre, which would likely assist in the operation of the planned Automatic Train Control signalling system. The Government committed $7.4 million over two years toward planning for the new system. |
May 2018 | In the 2018-19 Federal Budget, the Federal Government allocated a further $1.05 billion between FY2018-19 and FY2024-25 towards the project. |
Jan 2019 | Turner & Townsend was appointed to provide program management services to the project. |
May 2019 | The 2019-20 WA Budget allocated an additional $266.6 million to METRONET over the forward estimates. This brings total funding for the project over the forward estimates to $4.1 billion. |
Nov 2019 | The WA Government announced that an industry briefing for the METRONET project will be held on December 11. |
Jun 2020 | The Federal Government announced that Federal planning approvals for METRONET projects will be fast-tracked under a bilateral model between the Federal and State governments, with the aim of reducing the approval times by up to 50 percent from an average of 3.5 years to 21 months. |
Oct 2020 | 2020-21 Western Australian Budget noted total allocated funding for specific METRONET projects as $4.9 billion. This included expenditure already incurred, and commitments over the forward estimate period to FY2023-24. In addition, the 2020-21 WA Budget included a $2 billion capital provision for projects under development at the time, including Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Byford Rail Extension, Midland Station Redevelopment and High-Capacity Signalling Project. These allocations and provisions included the Federal Government's commitments to date. |
May 2021 | The Federal Government allocated a total of $379 million in additional funding for METRONET projects. This included 238 million for Inner Armadale Line Level Crossing Removals project's Hamilton Street / Wharf Street Grade sections, $110 million for Byford Extension, and $32 million for High Capacity Signaling project. |
Aug 2021 | The WA Government announced the Midland Junction Alliance, comprising McConnell Dowell Constructors, Georgiou Group, Arcadis Australia and BG&E, as the preferred proponent to deliver the new Midland Station. |
Sep 2021 | The 2021-22 Western Australian Budget allocated an additional $817 million to the Metronet program, with funding to be split across the program with key allocations to the Armadale Line Level crossing removals, Byford Extension and High Capacity Signalling updates. The total allocation for the program over the forward estimates is $5.7 billion. |
Nov 2021 | The Government of Western Australia opened Expressions of Interest for the appointment to a Panel of Pre-Qualified Suppliers for the provision of Technical Advisory Services to the METRONET Office. These services include Project Management Services, Construction Advisory Services, and Commercial Advisory Services. |
Mar 2022 | The Midland Junction Alliance comprising McConnell Dowell, Georgiou, Arcadis and BG&E was awarded the $247 million contract to deliver the new Midland Station. |
Mar 2022 | The 2022-23 Federal Budget allocated an additional $441 million to the METRONET program, including $135 million toward the Thornlie-Cockburn link, $116 million for High Capacity Signalling, $100 million toward the Morrison Road Level Crossing Removal, and $90 million for the Yanchep Rail Extension. |
Apr 2022 | Public Transport Authority issued a Request for Tender (RFT) for Geotechnical Engineering Services for the Thornlie Cockburn Link and Yanchep Rail Extension Project, closing 19 May. |
May 2022 | Turner and Townsend were reappointed to provide Program Management Office (PMO) services across the METRONET program. |
May 2022 | The 2022-23 WA Budget allocated $6 billion to the METRONET program over the next four years, including $168 million for the Canning Bridge Bus Interchange project. |
May 2023 | Turner and Townsend were reappointed to provide Program Management Office (PMO) services across the METRONET program. |