Network and Infrastructure
The Network and Infrastructure (N&I) division is responsible for the management and maintenance of the urban passenger rail network, the delivery of part of the asset investment program, and the delivery of information technology services.
N&I has a service level agreement with Transperth Train Operations (TTO), which details its responsibility for the provision and maintenance of the infrastructure required by TTO to operate train services reliably, efficiently and safely.
N&I’s focus is on providing and maintaining rail infrastructure at a high reliability level. In turn, this enables TTO to provide a high-quality train service to the PTA’s customers.
Maintenance
Most of the division’s resources are allocated to maintenance, both planned and breakdown. Routine maintenance is planned carefully to ensure the infrastructure is safe and highly reliable. This ensures that our customers continue to enjoy a safe and dependable train service. The division also deploys its resources to ensure a rapid response to any breakdowns, again minimising customer impact.
The rail network’s 70 stations are highly-visible infrastructure assets. As well as ensuring that all station facilities are reliable, considerable effort is made to have them well presented. This is achieved through regular cleaning and periodic large maintenance items such as high-pressure water cleaning and painting.
Asset investment program
Parking facilities program - Better Transport System
The Better Transport System project will deliver nearly 4000 car bays (compared with the original 3000-bay target) on the Joondalup and Mandurah lines at a total cost of $50 million. So far, 11 car park extensions have been completed, for 2121 additional bays - almost 71 per cent of the Government’s original target. Work to add more than 480 bays at Stirling Station is scheduled for completion in the first half of the new financial year and a contract is expected to be awarded in August for extensions at Currambine, Rockingham and Cockburn Central. These planned extensions will take the total to more than 3880 - exceeding the election commitment by more than 800 bays at the end of the four-year period.
As part of the Better Transport initiative, increased bicycle and motor cycle parking facilities, including 20 new bicycle shelters, are being constructed on stations to improve integrated travel to train stations.
Mirrabooka bus station upgrade
The $5.5m upgrade of the Mirrabooka bus station was completed around year’s end. The upgrade included a pavilion-style entrance incorporating a new kiosk, customer service booth, staff toilets, public toilets, crib room and communications room. The fully-accessible bus station now has modern facilities for patrons, with improved station lighting and security systems. This upgrade supported urban revitalisation initiatives for the Mirrabooka Town Centre.
Edgewater Station
A $7m project to increase the level of weather protection for customers was completed. Additional protection was provided on the platform, access stairway and footbridge. Disability access was enhanced with a new lift.
Armadale Station Stage 2
Work was completed on additional parking, including a new drop-off area and an extra 125 bays. The project cost $2.6m.
Fremantle Station upgrade
Fremantle Station is undergoing a program of staged conservation and restoration works in line with an Conservation Plan. This includes the restoration of the main entry façade, refurbishment of most of the internal areas and an electrical upgrade including a new point-of-supply, to bring the station up to modern standards. The works will incorporate restoration of the front and side external facades at an estimated cost of $2.2m. It is expected that work will continue until 2013-14.
Disability Standards Station Upgrades
Work continues on upgrading the PTA’s older stations to meet disability standards, improve security and increase overall amenity. A 6-8-month program is expected to start at Mount Lawley, Meltham, Queens Park and Maddington early in the new financial year, while design work for North Fremantle and Beckenham is well advanced.
Building Better Stations
Conceptual design has started on Bayswater, Daglish, Ashfield, Guildford and Claremont stations under the Building Better Stations program.
Kwinana training centre
The training centre will consist of two classrooms and associated parking, plus about 400m of track with overhead masts and wiring, two turnouts (equivalent to the PTA’s most complex), a level crossing with boom gates and a pedestrian crossing with automatic gates. The facility will enable the appropriate safe training of all the PTA’s personnel in a non-live but realistic environment, which will ensure that our people can carry out their tasks safely and efficiently. Because the level of technology used by the PTA is so high, it’s essential that technological staff are well trained to ensure high reliability of equipment and the rapid rectification of faults.
Concrete re-sleepering
Concrete sleepers offer improved passenger comfort, system reliability and increased speeds during hot summer days. Re-sleepering of the Armadale, Fremantle and Midland lines has been completed, and work has started on the four tracks between Claisebrook and the city. This will complete the re-sleepering of the urban network.
Central Monitoring Room upgrade
A new, $7.4m CCTV Central Monitoring Room was in the final stages of completion at year’s end. This new facility expands monitoring capacity from six to 20 workstations and will allow the integration of rail, bus, ferry and infrastructure CCTV monitoring for the first time. It employs the latest CCTV technology and has the capacity to incorporate further advances such as video analytics and high-definition video. Facilities to accommodate increased demands for evidence extraction and collation - a reflection of the extremely high-quality vision we can provide - have been incorporated into the design.
Upgrade of signal power supplies
The signalling system is a critical part of our operating system and any interruption to the power supply can disrupt our services considerably. To guarantee continuity, uninterrupted power supplies were installed throughout the network at a cost of $2.4m. The project included the upgrading of the power supply from Western Power to the PTA’s relay rooms, upgrading of the electrical infrastructure in the relay rooms and replacement of the standby generators.
Rostering and payments system
A new in-house designed rostering and payments system is scheduled for completion in July 2011. The system will integrate rostering and associated payroll functions for train drivers, transit officers and ticketing staff. The system will also provide an assessment tool for identifying potential fatigue issues in proposed rosters.