Depth Study One: Investigating Perth – Transportation Challenges and METRONET

Transportation challenges in metropolitan Perth

• Context: Depth Study One examines how population growth and other catalysts influence planning in Perth, focusing on transportation alongside waste management, urban sprawl, and water supply. The goal is to discuss scope, causes, and impacts of these challenges, stakeholder views, and planning strategies to keep Perth sustainable and liveable.

8.1 The Challenge of Transportation

• Scope and importance

  • Transportation is a major planning issue in Perth with heavy congestion in the metropolitan area, especially for daily commuters.

  • Peak congestion times: weekday mornings 6:30am–9:00am and afternoons 4:00pm–6:30pm, with extensions as congestion worsens.

  • Congestion affects inner-city areas (CBD and Inner Mixed Zone suburbs like Leederville, North Perth, Subiaco, West Leederville) and major routes feeding the freeways (Mitchell and Kwinana Freeways).

  • A 2019 study identified the Mitchell and Kwinana Freeways as among the most congested roads in Perth; the Kwinana Freeway is among Australia’s ten worst for delays. Infrastructure Australia predicted that by 2031, Perth would have seven of the ten most congested roads in the nation. The daily cost of road congestion was projected to rise from $4.4 ext{ million}$ per day (2016) to $10.5 ext{ million}$ per day by 2031.

  • The transport system is central to liveability: effective transport supports high-density inner-city needs and low-density outer-suburb needs, but poor transport planning can lead to unemployment, lower productivity, and higher pollution.

• Background data on Perth’s transport

  • Perth is highly car-dependent: 59% of households own two or more cars; 63% of road journeys are by private car; 37% are commercial.

  • On average, Greater Perth residents have a daily commute of about $30 ext{ minutes}$ and travel $15.7 ext{ km}$; congestion adds to annual travel time.

  • In 2021, average travel time increased by $2 ext{ minutes per day}$.

  • 2016 Census transport shares: 79 ext{%} drove a car to work; 8.1 ext{%} used public transport; 3.8 ext{%} biked or walked to work.

  • Public transport usage has declined in recent years; rail boardings peaked at 65 million in 2012–2013, declined to 43 million in 2020–2021. Population growth is expected to increase demand for public transport by roughly 42 ext{%} by 2031, compared with a 32 ext{%} growth in car trips.

  • The WA State Government and other stakeholders face the challenge of balancing road capacity expansion with strategies to encourage public transport and active transport.

• Transportation challenges: causes

  • Population growth: Perth’s population is expected to reach $P_{2050} = 3.5 imes 10^{6}$, implying an additional $riangle P = 1.4 imes 10^{6}$ people needing movement around the urban area for work, education, recreation, and goods/services.

  • Urban sprawl: low-density growth and outward expansion increase car dependence; many new suburbs are poorly served by public transport.

  • Public transport gaps: 500,000 people in Perth have poor access to public transport; one in five outer-Perth residents travel more than $30 ext{ km}$ to work.

  • Outer-Perth dynamics (example: Ellenbrook): located ~$30 ext{ km}$ from the Perth CBD; population ~47,000 in 2021 (target ~80,000); METRONET rail to Ellenbrook commenced in 2022, expected opening in 2024; travel time to CBD expected to be halved (from up to 60 minutes to ~30 minutes).

  • Population growth spurred higher car ownership and private-vehicle travel; in Ellenbrook, it is estimated that 90 ext{%} of car travel involves a single occupant.

  • Public transport trends: rail usage peaked in 2012–2013, then declined; demand is expected to grow with population, requiring upgrades to nearly 200 km of modern electric rail since 1990 (to be doubled to keep up with growth).

  • COVID-19 effects (see below) altered travel patterns and infrastructure timelines.

• COVID-19 impacts on transport

  • COVID-19 caused shifts in travel behaviour, including a rise in working from home and changes in transit usage.

  • There was a 32 ext{%} increase in employed workers working from home during the pandemic; SmartRider transactions dropped by about $87.5\%$ from February to March 2020, indicating a shift toward driving at the outset of the pandemic.

Impacts of the transportation challenge

• Environmental impacts

  • Transportation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions; Perth’s per-capita emissions are higher than some European cities.

  • The average Western Australian car is estimated to emit roughly $ext{CO}_2$ emissions equivalent to its weight in CO2 annually (context: significant contribution to climate change and photochemical smog from NOx and VOCs).

  • Photochemical smog arises from reactions involving nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide in vehicle emissions, contributing to air pollution and respiratory issues.

  • Transport-related pollutants include NOx and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can irritate and inflame the respiratory system and worsen conditions like asthma.

• Economic impacts

  • Traffic congestion imposes a substantial economic cost; estimates indicate a cost of about $2.5 ext{ billion}$ per year currently, rising to $3.6 ext{ billion}$ per year by 2031.

  • Congestion creates “rat runs” as drivers seek shortcuts, increasing pressure on secondary/suburban streets.

  • Vehicle inefficiency in traffic adds to fuel costs for individuals and households.

  • Large-scale projects like METRONET require significant public funding and imply long economic returns; upfront costs are borne by taxpayers and users, with benefits amortising over time.

• Social impacts

  • Congestion can cause stress and anti-social behaviour (e.g., road rage) and reduce perceived quality of life.

  • Peak-hour crashes are more common (particularly 3–6pm, Thursdays and Fridays) with injuries often on corridors like the Kwinana Freeway.

  • Public transport reliability and safety concerns persist, contributing to preferences for driving and congestion around rail stations due to limited parking.

• Health and air quality

  • Traffic-related air pollution affects respiratory health; reducing car use and increasing active transport can improve health outcomes.

  • Exposure to air pollution is a concern along main roads for cyclists and pedestrians, though some studies suggest cyclists may experience lower exposure in certain scenarios compared with car or bus occupants.

Stakeholder groups related to the transportation challenge

• Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA)

  • State government agency responsible for approximately $19{,}000 ext{ km}$ of roads; aims to provide a sustainable road-based transport system.

  • Focuses on efficient road networks, urban amenity, cycling and pedestrian facilities, and a Road Safety strategy: "The Road Towards Zero" to eliminate deaths and serious injuries.

  • Engages with the Department of Lands and Heritage and Aboriginal stakeholders; emphasizes heritage surveys to minimise impacts on Aboriginal sites.

  • Environmental initiatives include using crushed recycled concrete (≈ $46{,}000 ext{ tonnes}$) and LED lighting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by about $2\%$ in tunnels.

  • Projects emphasize upgrading/creating road networks and extending key freeways (e.g., Mitchell Freeway to Romeo Road; Tonkin Highway widening).

• Public Transport Authority (PTA) / Transperth

  • Statutory authority delivering public transport options (rail, bus, ferry) to improve quality of life and environment; promotes mode shift from cars to public transport.

  • Transperth operates with a large fleet: >1{,}500 buses, 280 standard routes, 270 school-bus routes, 9 CAT routes, plus rail; typical weekday operations include ~20{,}000 passenger trips on key rail lines and ~50{,}000 passengers per hour on a line.

  • Aims to provide sustainable, customer-focused transport; promotes fare reductions (e.g., cap fares promised in 2021 election) to reduce living costs and encourage use of public transport.

  • Some past initiatives (e.g., MAX light rail proposal) were shelved due to budget pressures; PTA continues to advocate for an efficient, affordable system.

  • Emphasises cost benefits of public transport (e.g., a full train can take off hundreds of cars from the road).

• Aboriginal stakeholders and engagement

  • METRONET involves Aboriginal engagement through the Gnarla Biddi Aboriginal Engagement Strategy, ensuring recognition of Noongar connections to the land and ongoing consultation.

  • Aboriginal procurement and employment targets are embedded (e.g., minimum $15 million spend with Aboriginal businesses).

  • Plan includes cultural heritage considerations and story leaves at Redcliffe Station, Aboriginal artworks at Airport Central Station.

• Other planning bodies

  • Perth and Peel@3.5 Million planning framework guides land use and infrastructure; METRONET integrates with this framework to support high-density, transit-oriented development and station precincts.

Planning strategy to address the transportation challenge: METRONET

• What METRONET is

  • One of the State Government’s key priorities to move people efficiently while integrating land use opportunities.

  • Aims to connect diverse urban centres through transport and enable higher density and infill development in key suburbs.

  • Focuses on high-frequency mass transit (rail and other modes), better connecting areas with unsatisfactory networks, and upgrading/adding road capacity where needed.

• Forrestfield–Airport Link (FAL)

  • A major METRONET component: 8.5 km rail link with stations at Redcliffe, Airport Central, and High Wycombe; includes upgrades at Claremont Station.

  • Twin-bored tunnels chosen to minimise land-use disruption and environmental impacts.

  • Key features include water-sensitive urban design, noise/vibration mitigation, management of dewatering and acid sulphate soils, and minimal disruption to communities.

  • Project delivers 72 km of new passenger rail and up to 22 new stations across METRONET, with station precincts within roughly 1 km of each station to promote high-density, mixed-use development.

  • Estimated travel-time improvements: Forrestfield to CBD about $18 ext{ minutes}$ (compared to longer car trips); airport to CBD about $5 ext{ minutes faster}$ by rail vs car.

  • Completion originally planned for 2020 but delayed to 2022; total government funding includes nearly $2 ext{ billion}$ from the State and about $3.7 ext{ billion}$ from the Australian Government.

  • Expected daily passenger trips: about $20{,}000$ initially, potentially rising to $29{,}000$ by 2032.

  • FAL connects to key corridors near highly congested roads (Great Eastern Highway, Roe Highway, Tonkin Highway).

  • Outcomes include reduced road congestion, increased accessibility to eastern suburbs and airport, and stimulation of residential/commercial development around new stations.

• Other METRONET elements

  • New and upgraded stations (e.g., Claremont, Greenwood) and increased car-parking capacity (e.g., Greenwood Station multi-storey car park).

  • Inner-city transit light rail and removal of several rail crossings (e.g., Victoria Park–Canning Level Crossing).

  • Upgrades to existing lines and rail intersections; rail network safety and efficiency improvements (e.g., high-capacity signaling upgrades).

  • Station precincts designed to encourage walking, cycling, and public transport use; densification aims to meet infill targets and reduce car dependence.

  • High Wycombe station redesigned as an intermodal hub with bus, car, bike, and pedestrian facilities; ensured catchment access within walking distance.

  • Public arts, cultural recognition, and Aboriginal engagement integrated into the project’s planning and implementation.

• Sustainability and design aspects

  • Water-sensitive urban design and monitoring to reduce water usage (target ~11% reduction); rooftop solar installations (example: 274 kW at Forrestfield Station) to offset energy use.

  • Targeted use of recycled content (e.g., at least 20% recycled content in construction materials).

  • EV charging provisions at stations; efforts to minimize urban heat island effects through materials and landscaping.

  • Environmental benefits include reducing car dependency, lowering carbon emissions, and reducing photochemical smog in areas around congested corridors.

• Liveability and social impacts

  • METRONET emphasizes liveability: access to jobs, housing, services, and recreation while reducing travel times and congestion.

  • Station precincts are intended to create high-density, active urban places with a mix of housing options and employment opportunities within walkable reach (~1 km).

  • Cultural recognition, public art, and Aboriginal input are central components of place-making and community identity.

  • Stakeholders emphasize that high-density precincts require shifts in housing preferences and public acceptance, given Australians’ traditional preference for larger lots.

• Mobility, costs, and benefits

  • METRONET represents the largest public transport investment in Perth, expanding the rail network by $72 ext{ km}$ of new passenger rail and adding $22$ stations.

  • Benefits include reduced car usage, significant fuel savings, and lower travel times for many residents; projected to create jobs in construction and ongoing maintenance.

  • Economic considerations include balancing upfront costs (borne by taxpayers and users) with long-term productivity and liveability gains.

Access to services and cycling as a planning response

• Western Australian Bicycle Network Plan (WABN) 2014–2031

  • Aims to provide a safe, connected, and convenient bicycle network and to mainstream cycling as a transport mode.

  • Long-Term Cycling Network for Perth and Peel envisions a fully integrated cycling network with river and lake crossings and continuous routes along major corridors, including protected cycle lanes in the CBD.

  • Principal Shared Paths (PSPs) are high-standard routes for longer, direct trips, aligned with major corridors and potentially a separate pedestrian path; examples include PSPs along Kwinana Freeway, Fremantle Railway, Midland Railway, and Mitchell Freeway.

  • Priority PSPs up to 2023 are within 15 km of the CBD due to high commuter demand; from 2023 to 2031, the focus expands beyond this radius to improve regional connectivity.

  • Perth Bicycle Grants Program (administered by the Department of Transport) matches local government expenditures to plan, design, and construct bicycle infrastructure.

  • A notable project: Safety Bay Road shared path (Baldivis residents to Warnbro Station) completed in 2017 at about A$3.2 ext{ million}, 4.2 km long, improving active transport access to the station.

  • Within the CBD, the Department of Transport collaborates with the City of Perth to develop a central transit network prioritising movement of people and enabling end-of-trip facilities (bike storage, showers, changerooms).

  • End-of-trip facilities are vital to making cycling attractive to workers; METRONET stations will include bike storage and related facilities.

• Economic, environmental, and social benefits of cycling

  • Economic: cycling reduces transport costs; a small shelter for bicycles costs around $70{,}000$ versus a 50-bay car park around $448{,}000$, offering long-term savings when demand is converted from car trips.

  • Environmental: cycling reduces emissions (no fuel use for trips), lowers noise, and requires less land than road/rail infrastructure.

  • Health and social: cycling improves physical health (reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes) and mental health (stress reduction, better sleep); fosters social sustainability by improving access and social inclusion.

  • Health data and emission context: per-km emissions vary by mode; on average, a petrol car emits around $192\text{ g CO}<em>2/ ext{km}$ per passenger; rail and ferry are substantially lower (e.g., rail around $41\text{ g CO}</em>2/ ext{km}$; ferry about $19\text{ g CO}_2/ ext{km}$); cycling has negligible tailpipe emissions.

  • Safety and equity: PSPs and protected lanes improve safety and encourage uptake among different age groups and confidence levels; more cyclists on the road increase safety in numbers.

  • Health and air quality concerns: while cycling reduces overall emissions, cyclists can still be exposed to urban air pollutants on major corridors; research indicates varying exposure scenarios between modes.

• Liveability, accessibility, and cost of living

  • A well-developed bicycle network supports liveability by reducing congestion and improving access to services, education, and employment.

  • Cost of living considerations favor cycling for short trips due to lower upfront and ongoing costs compared with car ownership and maintenance; average household transport costs in Perth are around $ext{A}\$18{,}000 ext{ per year}$, highlighting potential savings from cycling.

  • End-of-trip facilities and safe, continuous PSPs contribute to the convenience and attractiveness of cycling, improving accessibility to stations and reducing the need for parking near key destinations.

• Health and air quality (expanded)

  • Active transport improves health outcomes by mitigating inactivity-related risks and reducing exposure to vehicle emissions when feasible via shorter trips and safer cycling infrastructure.

  • The plan recognises that cycling can cut per-km emissions dramatically compared with car use, supporting broader climate policy goals.

Activities 8.1 (as outlined in the chapter)

• Explain the scope of the transportation challenge in metropolitan Perth.

• Describe the main factors causing the transportation challenge.

• Refer to Figure 8.1.5 and explain the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation in Perth.

• In pairs, identify two stakeholder groups with an interest in the transportation challenge and discuss their views and how they are affected.

• Describe the main features of two planning strategies used to address the transportation challenge.

• Using the criteria for liveability, evaluate the extent to which two planning strategies have enhanced Perth’s liveability.

GE Skills and syllabus references (highlights)

• Data interpretation and graph/table reading: interpret tables, graphs (picture graphs, line/bar graphs, histograms, pie graphs, etc.).

• Spatial patterns: identify land-use, settlement, and transport patterns and spatial relationships on maps.

• Practical tasks: use Google Maps to compare travel times/distances to the CBD from major suburbs by car, public transport, and walking; create and analyse travel tables for different times of day and modes.

• Analyze proposed 2050 public transport distribution and evaluate advantages/disadvantages.

• Provide evidence-based advice to planners about the most efficient transport mode for Perth’s future.

Key quantitative references and formulas used in the notes

• Population projections and growth

  • Projected population: $P_{2050} = 3.5 imes 10^{6}$

  • Incremental population increase: $riangle P = 1.4 imes 10^{6}$

• Congestion costs

  • Current annual cost: $C_{2016} = 4.4 imes 10^{6}$ dollars per day

  • Projected by 2031: $C_{2031} = 10.5 imes 10^{6}$ dollars per day

• Public transport capacity and road capacity comparisons

  • Rail capacity example: a full train carries ~$1{,}000$ passengers and can remove ~$800$ cars from the road (illustrative efficiency bound).

  • Rail vs road hourly capacity: $50{,}000 ext{ p/h}$ on a rail line vs $2{,}500 ext{ p/h}$ on a freeway segment.

• Vehicle emissions (illustrative per-km values)

  • Petrol car: $CO2_{ ext{car}} ext{ per passenger-km} \approx 192 ext{ g/km}$ (typical value; varies by vehicle and occupancy)

  • Rail: approximately $CO2_{ ext{rail}} ext{ per passenger-km} \approx 41 ext{ g/km}$

  • Ferry: $CO2_{ ext{ferry}} ext{ per passenger-km} \approx 19 ext{ g/km}$

  • Cycling: effectively near-zero tailpipe emissions; significant overall emissions reductions when substituting car trips

• METRONET investment and outputs

  • FAL cost: nearly $2 ext{ billion}$ (State) + $3.7 ext{ billion}$ from Australian Government

  • Completion: October 2022 (delays from earlier timelines; project approved 2015)

  • Travel-time improvements: Forrestfield–CBD ≈ $18 ext{ minutes}$; Airport–CBD savings include ~$5 ext{ minutes}$ vs car

  • Daily passenger trips: ~$20{,}000$ initially, rising to ~$29{,}000$ by 2032

• Cycling network scale and grants

  • WA Bicycle Network investment: significant funds (~$220 ext{ million}$ in cycling over four years) to support ~74 cycling projects across WA

  • PSP projects include the $Kwinana Freeway PSP, Fremantle Railway PSP, Midland Railway PSP, Mitchell Freeway PSP$

  • Safety Bay Road shared path: $4.2 ext{ km}$, cost $3.2 ext{ million}$, completed 2017

  • Heightened emphasis on end-of-trip facilities, bike storage, showers, and changing rooms in METRONET station precincts

If you’d like, I can convert these notes into a more compact study sheet or expand any section with more precise figures or diagram descriptions from the figures referenced (e.g., Figures 8.1.1 to 8.1.16).