Budget gives $1b for new railcars

THE State Budget announced on Thursday has provided $1.14 billion for a further 300 new C-series railcars to be delivered over the next 10 years, starting in 2019.

They will be configured as 50 six-car trains, as opposed to the current three-car configurations, and will have four doors either side of each railcar, as opposed to two doors on the current railcars.

Planning for the project will start soon, with $5 million allocated for 2015-16.

Funding has also been allocated for the extension of the Greenwood train station platform shelter.

The Public Transport Authority will use the $250,000 allocation to extend the shelter about 120m, constructing a 3m wide, 360sq m awning over the western platform (to Butler).