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 by the then-opposition Labor in 2013, the project will significantly expand Perth's current heavy rail network. The major works on the project consists of:
- Bayswater Station
- Byford Rail Extension
- Canning Bridge Bus Interchange
- Forrestfield-Airport Link
- Greenwood Station Multi-Storey Car Park
- High Capacity Signalling - Program of Works
- Lakelands Station
- Level Crossing Removal Program including Caledonian Avenue and Denny Avenue
- Morley-Ellenbrook Line
- Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal
- New Midland Station and Multi-Storey Carpark
- Thornlie-Cockburn Link
- Yanchep Rail Extension
In addition, METRONET includes:
- a Railcar Program including the acquisiton of 246 locally manufactured C-series
- Bellvue Railcar Manufacturing Facility
- High Capacity Signalling Program of Works.
A station has also been proposed for Karnup.
The WA 2023-24 Budget saw a cost increase to the METRONET project, bringing the total cost to $10.5 billion. This included cost increases from the WA 2022-23 budget of $528 million for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line, $244 million for the Thornlie-Cockburn Link, and $375 million for the Yanchep Rail Extension.
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 |
| Apr 2024 | Contract Award for Railcar Program |
Funding contributions
| Federal Government | |
| Federal Government | |
| Federal Government | |
| WA Government | |
| WA Government | |
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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. The WA 2023-24 budget saw a cost increase to the METRONET project, bringing the total cost to $10.5 billion. This included cost increases from the WA 2022-23 budget of $528 million for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line, $244 million for the Thornlie-Cockburn Link, and $375 million for the Yanchep Rail Extension. The Independent Strategic Review of the Infrastructure Investment Program allocated an additional $1.03 billion of commonwealth funding to the delivery of the project. The WA 2024-25 budget saw a cost increase to the METRONET project, bringing the total cost to $12.4 billion. This included cost increases of $578 million in the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal, $744 million for acquiring and replacing the METRONET railcars, and $391 million for the High-Capacity Signalling program of works. In the 2024-25 Federal Budget, the Government allocated $1.4 billion over an 11-year period starting in FY2023-24 as part of the Infrastructure Investment Program. |
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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. |
| May 2023 | WA 2023-24 budget allocates additional funding to METRONET and confirms increased total project cost at $10.5 billion. |
| Oct 2023 | A consortium comprising RPS, Arcadis, Agonis and DDR Consult was awarded the contract to deliver the Systems integration of the Metronet Program. The contract is for an initial three-year term. |
| Nov 2023 | The Federal Government allocated an additional $1 billion to the project following the results of the Independent Strategic Review of the IIP. |
| Apr 2024 | A UGL and ADCO Joint Venture were awarded the contract to construct a new railcar maintenance facility Bellevue, WA. This will expand the existing Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing and Maintenance Facility. Works will include civil works, track construction, signalling and trackside equipment installation, electrification works and connection to the site’s existing High Voltage Traction Power substation. Works commenced in the first quarter of 2024 and are expected to finish in mid-2026. |
| May 2024 | The WA 2024-25 budget saw a cost increase to the METRONET project, bringing the total cost to $12.4 billion. This included cost increases of $578 million in the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal, $744 million for acquiring and replacing the METRONET railcars, and $391 million for the High-Capacity Signalling program of works. The Budget allocated $4.8 billion over the next four years, including $2.7 billion in FY2024-25. |
| May 2024 | The 2024-25 Federal Budget allocated $1.4 billion in new funding over an 11-year period starting in FY2023-24 as part of the Infrastructure Investment Program to the METRONET project. |
Federal DITRDCA project page
Federal Government IIP Project Changes Summary
