Rockingham and Mandurah will be linked to Perth's metro rail system.
Premier Carmen Lawrence today announced that extending the existing electrified network from Fremantle into the south-west metropolitan corridor was the preferred option of the Government and the majority of residents.
"A rail link to the south west suburbs and Mandurah was a commitment the Government gave last year," Dr Lawrence said.
"Since then, a south west area transit steering committee has undertaken extensive consultation with the local community and recommended to Cabinet that metro rail was the preferred option.
"My Government has accepted that recommendation as the one which most truly reflects what the residents believe will best suit their needs."
Dr Lawrence said the decision to go ahead with metro rail rather than the tram-type access rail system, was based on the Government's belief that public transport should offer people the opportunity to choose where they wanted to live and where they wanted to work.
"Urban public transport is about choice and flexibility as well as adding value to the quality of life and our environment," Dr Lawrence said.
"It should not dictate to people where they will live and where they will work."
Dr Lawrence said the Government also had decided on a basic route for the new railway. It had incorporated a number of deviations to service existing and future communities.
"The exact route will be determined following further consultation with the private sector, especially residential and commercial developers and local government authorities," she said.
"Already the SWAT team has received several expressions of interest with private developers. These expressions of interest will form the basis for more formal negotiations."
Dr Lawrence said once these negotiations were concluded, the Government would present the necessary reports and legislation to Parliament to enable the railway to go ahead.
The aim was to have trains running to Rockingham by 1996 with the final link to Mandurah completed by 2001.
"The northern suburbs railway showed Western Australia has the expertise and dedication to build big scale engineering projects on time and on budget," she said.
"The new railway will draw on that experience as well as creating at least 550 direct jobs in the construction phase and hundreds more in associated industries."
Dr Lawrence said the proposed route was for the train to run south from Fremantle through Spearwood, deviate eastward to Jandakot then south and south east through Kwinana to Rockingham. It would run south to Waikiki and Golden Bay before terminating at Mandurah forum.
It was expected the trip from Mandurah to Fremantle would take just over an hour.
Dr Lawrence said that in recognising the importance of public transport in the growing southern suburbs between now and 1996, the Government would:
· extend the Kwinana Freeway to Thomas Road in 1994;
· provide express bus services linking Kwinana and Rockingham using exclusive bus lanes on the freeway;
· investigate a bus park 'n' ride interchange near the South Street-Freeway intersection;
· involve local government in further public transport planning for the area;
· investigate rapid transit systems on or next to the Kwinana Freeway south of the Mt Henry Bridge.
