Government contract kicks off Joondalup rail line extension

A $6million State Government contract to prepare almost four kilometres of rail corridor marks the start of the $240.7million project to extend the Joondalup passenger railway line to Butler.

Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the 15-month contract had been awarded to civil engineering contractor R J Vincent and Co, a Western Australian company with more than 50 years’ experience in the civil engineering construction industry. 

The contract covers earthworks for the railway alignment from the Public Transport Authority’s (PTA) Nowergup railcar depot in Hester Avenue, Clarkson, to join up with existing earthworks undertaken in 2008 at Landbeach Boulevard, Butler.

It is the first of the primary contracts to extend the Joondalup Line 7.5 kilometres through the rapidly-expanding northern suburbs.

Mr O’Brien said the Butler extension was a strategic incremental expansion of Perth’s integrated public transport system.  

“With the population in Perth’s north-west suburbs expected to quadruple by 2031, the Butler extension provides a valuable service to these rapidly-growing communities,” Mr O’Brien said.
 
“The project will also ease pressure on the Mitchell Freeway and major road corridors with more than 2000 passengers expected to board at the new Butler Station each week day.”
 
The new station will include a 900-bay car park and the overall project provides for 11 new buses for feeder services into Butler and Clarkson stations.

The new part of the line is expected to be in operation by December 2014.