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WA’s biggest road project, NorthLink, open, finished and ready for business
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he biggest road infrastructure prioritised the importance of keeping vital project in WA's history, the $1.02 infrastructure projects on track through billion NorthLink WA is now fully open, the COVID-19 crisis." providing a free-flowing link between Western Australian Minister for Morley and Muchea, doubling road Transport Rita Saffioti said the new Tonkin capacity and improving journey times and Highway will be capable of carrying productivity. more than double the current number of Road users travelling from Kewdale to vehicles. Muchea can now avoid up to 16 sets of "A round trip between the major freight traffic lights, two railway crossings and 21 hubs of Kewdale and Muchea will save speed limit changes. around 20 minutes, which is a great boost Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the to productivity," Ms Saffioti said. third and final section of the project - a "Around 3200 trucks a day will be 22-kilometre dual carriageway highway removed from Great Northern Highway between Ellenbrook and Muchea - will south of Stock Road, which will provide a transform how traffic enters and exits huge relief to residents, growers, tourism Perth from the state's north. businesses and visitors in the Swan Valley. "The opening of the final section "NorthLink WA has been a major means road users, particularly freight, feat of collaboration across successive can now realise the full benefits of the governments, having initially been funded 37-kilometre highway," the Prime Minister in the 2013 Federal Budget as the Swan said. Valley Bypass, and "NorthLink WA has continued under the A round trip between also supported around current State and the major freight hubs of Federal governments." 7000 direct and indirect Kewdale and Muchea will jobs for Western Federal Member for Australians throughout save around 20 minutes Pearce Christian Porter its construction." said the project would Premier of Western also significantly reduce Australia Mark McGowan said the heavy vehicle traffic on Great Northern government has a huge pipeline of Highway through the Swan Valley tourism infrastructure planned for the northregion, enabling a safer road environment eastern suburbs of Perth, including several for visitors and local businesses. major road upgrades and the METRONET "One of the many benefits of Morley-Ellenbrook Line, that will help NorthLink WA's latest section is that ease congestion and mean less time spent it will take trucks and heavy vehicles on our roads. off Great Northern Highway, reducing "These are vital job-creating projects congestion and making roads safer along that will ensure WA is well-placed to the beautiful Swan Valley," Mr Porter said. respond in the economic recovery stage Traffic speeds (outside work zones) of the pandemic," Mr McGowan said. are 100 kilometres an hour to Ellenbrook Federal Minister for Population, Cities and 110 kilometres an hour between and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said Ellenbrook and Muchea, reducing travel NorthLink WA was a vital, state-of-thetimes significantly and improving both art transport link between Morley and safety and the driving experience for Muchea that would support the north of motorists. Perth for generations. The NorthLink WA project was jointly "So many areas of Perth will benefit, funded with the Australian Government for example it will divert 80 per cent of providing $820.84 million and the Western heavy vehicles away from local roads Australian Government $204.06 million. and improving connection throughout For the magazine’s digital readers the Swan Valley for residents and the footage of the NorthLink WA project can 600,000 tourists visiting the area each be downloaded at: https://drive.google. year," Mr Tudge said. com/open?id=17xA3ZssfRiroUlkGsQsGe6l"The Morrison Government has V9vMp4Xy
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WATM • June 2020
TRUCK REGISTRATION FREEZE – But what about WA?
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decision made by Australian Transport Ministers to freeze truck and bus registration charges at their current levels for the year 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 has come as welcome news for the trucking industry, said CEO of the Australian Trucking Association Ben Maguire. In November 2019, transport ministers had identified a preference to increase registration charges by 2.5 per cent from 1 July 2020. Mr Maguire said the freeze
We encourage the West Australian Government to follow suit and give trucking operators the much needed financial relief that those in the east will receive followed strong lobbying efforts from the ATA and its member associations. The Western Australian Government is considering its 2020-21 heavy motor vehicle licence fees independently of the ministers’ decision. “We encourage the West Australian Government to follow suit and give trucking operators the much needed financial relief that those in the east will receive,” Mr Maguire said. “Trucking business across Australia are all facing the same challenges, and all deserve the same support,” he said.
