Squeeze-way North

The Australian Infrastructure Plan listed the Perth CBD-north corridor capacity as a high priority initiative and anticipated that congestion in the area would have a material impact on national productivity within five years.

Infrastructure Australia found that without additional capacity, the northern corridor would become the most congested in Perth.

The April 2015 Australian Infrastructure Audit estimated the associated delay cost would be $2 billion in 2031.

Increased demand for public transport was also expected, with an additional 123,000 daily trips on the Joondalup rail line in the next 15 years, which would exceed capacity by more than two-and-half times during morning peak hours.

The report said the State Government was developing a transport plan to address the corridor.

“A number of approaches could be adopted to increase supply and to manage demand, including additional road capacity, mode shift to public transport or better use of existing roads,” it said.

Wanneroo Mayor Tracey Roberts said the City was one of five across Australia that made a submission to the plan.

“Infrastructure Australia has identified the very real need for additional road and public transport capacity in Perth’s growing northern corridor – a fact the City of Wanneroo has been placing on the state and national agendas through our Tri-Cities Alliance and community and Shadow Cabinet meetings,” she said.

“This clearly reinforces the City’s advocacy about the dire need to extend the Mitchell Freeway to Romeo Road and bring the rail link to Yanchep to fruition by 2020, five years earlier than currently scheduled.”

Infrastructure Australia chairman Mark Birrell said if the plan was delivered, Australians would receive more affordable, innovative and competitive energy, telecommunications, water and transport services.