New MetroRail


New MetroRail was a division of the Public Transport Authority in Western Australia. It was responsible for managing extensions to Perth's railway network. The project doubled Perth's rail network, which is operated by Transperth, and was completed in 2007, after various projects were completed. Costing $1.6 billion, the project was the largest public transport project ever undertaken by the Western Australian government and effectively doubled the size of Perth's railway network. A similar agency Metronet was created in 2017 for future Perth rail extensions.

History

In December 1994, the Metropolitan Region Scheme was amended to include the original route for the Mandurah Railway, via Kenwick, using the existing Woodbridge to Kwinana freight line, and the Armadale/Thornlie railway line. In July 1995, the Court Liberal government announced it would build the new line to Mandurah, and committed to completing the line from Kenwick to Jandakot by 2005.
In April 1997, the same government approved funding for the South West Metropolitan Railway Master Plan. The Master Plan was completed in April 2000. In June of the same year, the plan for the Currambine to Butler extension was released, which formed part of the Northern Suburbs Railway Interim Master Plan.
In February 2001, the Gallop Labor government was elected. In August 2002, that government announced that the rail alignment from Jandakot to Perth would run in the median of the Kwinana Freeway, and not via Kenwick as previously planned. In December 2007, the Mandurah railway line opened, meaning that the project was complete.

Projects

Northern Suburbs Railway

Works on the Northern suburbs line within the project included;