Plan to take toll on local roads

The proposal was flagged by Transport Minister Dean Nalder to make it easier for trucks to access an outer harbour at Cockburn Sound.

No timeline for the upgrades was given, just as there is no date for construction of the harbour.

Mr Sullivan said the road – which handles 26,700 vehicles each day, including 3600 heavy vehicles – would have to be widened at certain points for future traffic.

But he said tolling the road would likely cause issues.

“A potential problem with toll roads is that some motorists may choose to use parallel and, most likely, local roads to avoid paying the toll,” he said.

“This potential transfer of traffic could create undesirable safety and amenity issues on the city’s local road network.”

Mr Sullivan said the city believes any freight to the proposed outer harbour should be taken via Anketell Road and an extended Rowley Road to and from the Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway.

That would include an intermodal terminal – to transfer freight from one mode of transport to another – along the existing freight rail line.

Community questions to Mr Nalder were referred to Main Roads WA. A spokeswoman for the department said the State Government was undertaking traffic flow modelling on several key transport corridors, including the Stock Road to Kwinana area.

“The department is yet to complete this work and provide its assessment and advice to the Minister for Transport,” she said.