THE STATE GOVERNMENT’S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF PRIORITISING THE AIRPORT TRAIN LINE AND MAX LIGHT RAIL OVER THE NORTHERN EXTENSION AS WELL AS THE TRAIN LINE TO ELLENBROOK AND THE “KNOWLEDGE ARC” LIGHT RAIL PROJECT, HIGHLIGHTED THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLANNING.
The major transport decisions around rail (both light and heavy) fall into three major classifications: to ease congestion from existing residential areas, to service emerging areas and the third, to create infrastructure for a world city.
There are some advantages to providing train services for emerging areas because the development itself can be shaped by the existence of the transport node. This means high density development within the walkable catchment (normally around 600 metres) with vehicle access being designed to integrate with other activities, such as shopping. Unfortunately the promise of rail and a requirement to build high density is fraught with risk in our current politicised approach to transport planning.
Running rail, whether light or heavy, through existing areas is very challenging unless planned well in advance because of current land uses and fragmented ownership. One of the advantages that Perth has is the Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax which has accumulated a pool of funds which can be used to acquire transport and other infrastructure corridors ahead of requirements. Unfortunately this only works if plans are committed a decade in advance or the government ends up owning a string of properties in the wrong place and then has to go through the expensive and unpopular process of compulsory acquisition.
The notion of creating the infrastructure for a world city is a good one which, in principle, UDIA supports. Rail to airports seems to be one of the more controversial pieces of infrastructure with only two Australian cities, Brisbane and Sydney, currently having operational lines, both privately owned. The economics are challenging with both of those lines experiencing initial financial difficulty with the Sydney line going into receivership and being sold at a loss. Both are now making money from the $16.50 one way fare, but the Brisbane line only operates every 30 min in non-peak times including weekends.
It would be appropriate to have bipartisan sign off on public transport priorities based on expert analysis by transport planners and Treasury and then the timelines for construction agreed and committed through the budget process. This would facilitate informed decisions about business relocation, employment generation and residential. Sadly this won’t happen.