There are 30 level crossings on Perth’s electrified passenger rail network, which services 72 stations across five lines.
Following the delivery of existing funded and committed level crossing removal projects (including Commonwealth funded METRONET projects - Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal and Byford Rail Extension), there will be up to 20 vehicle level crossings remaining on the Perth metropolitan passenger railway network.
Level crossings provide important connectivity for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians across train lines, but also result in road congestion and safety risks.
Pedestrian and vehicle collisions and boom gate crashes can result in injuries or fatalities, as well as property damage and delays on both the road and rail networks.
Between 2000 and 2019, there have been close to 2,200 incidents, including recorded near-misses, at level crossings on the Fremantle, Midland and Armadale lines. The majority of these involved pedestrians.
Level crossings can create barriers between different parts of communities and impact on local amenity.
Perth’s growing population will lead to increased road traffic and demand for
more train services, which will exacerbate these issues.
The proposal could be addressed by developing a network-wide program to identify, prioritise and remove level crossings in Perth. This would improve network efficiency, resilience, safety and amenity for communities.
The program should consider a wide range of options to remove level crossings or minimise their impacts.
This could include traffic restrictions, road closures, demand management, removing level crossings, and grade separations where warranted.
Proponent to identify and analyse potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).