Infrastructure WA

56. Ensure investment in transport infrastructure delivers improved transport system outcomes by:

1. further reforming governance arrangements for the Transport Portfolio to achieve an integrated, strategic, mode-agnostic approach to transport network planning and delivery across all modes of transport 
2. reforming funding hypothecation legislative arrangements for motor vehicle licence revenue to fund the planning and delivery of priority projects across all transport modes, not only road-related infrastructure.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 56 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

57. Guide future transport infrastructure investments into areas of strategic need by refreshing statewide strategic transport planning, aligned with land-use plans and policies, including:

1. developing, publishing and implementing a new 20-year regional transport plan, including a focus on freight supply chains across all modes and across all regions outside of Perth and Peel that builds on recent region-specific freight plans and considers strategic cross-regional issues
2. developing, publishing and implementing a new 20-year Perth and Peel transport plan that combines and prioritises all key mode-specific transport planning across Transport Portfolio agencies and embeds a diverse range of non-build, demand management and transport innovation opportunities and scenarios, and station precinct intensification opportunities 
3. finalising development of the new Perth transport model, which incorporates the use of modern, diverse network usage data and establishes a seamless staffing and operational model for use across the Transport Portfolio.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 57 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

58. Address the future loss of fuel excise revenue by:

1. working with other jurisdictions to design a fair and nationally compatible alternative to fuel excise for low and zero emissions vehicles, with any future charging reform to be combined with other initiatives to ensure an overall net-incentive for the uptake of these vehicles
2. when designing a fuel excise alternative scheme and associated technology, ensuring that:
   • the scheme has the potential to include vehicle mass, distance, location and time-of-day pricing elements
   • total road system revenue is maintained at a stable level as a policy reform objective
3. undertaking a review to investigate the merits of location and time-of-day pricing signals being incorporated into a fuel excise alternative to improve road demand management during peak periods in Perth.  

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 58 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Make better use of existing transport infrastructure, increase public transport usage and reduce road congestion by developing and implementing a public transport patronage action plan with a focus on non-build measures. The action plan should include:

• adopting behaviour-change initiatives, digital technologies, and operational and service delivery innovations, including targeted trials and mobility-as-a-service models and include these in the scope of future business cases for major road and rail infrastructure
• planning for better connectivity to educational facilities and other activity precincts.   

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 59 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

60. Progress targeted expansion and improvement of the road network by:

1. delivering road safety programs in line with Driving change: Road Safety Strategy for Western Australia 2020–2030, including urban design innovations, speed reductions on local streets where appropriate and regional road safety treatments
2. delivering regional maintenance and freight productivity programs to provide fit for purpose road networks
3. progressing targeted, high-impact programs, including intersection upgrades, expanding the use of technology on arterial roads and trials for dynamic bus prioritisation
4. progressing capacity and efficiency upgrades to freeways and major urban highways (particularly Mitchell and Kwinana freeways), incorporating all modes and greater use of technology as a priority option
5. estimating impacts from a range of potential low and zero emissions vehicles and connected and automated vehicle rollout scenarios modelling and sensitivity testing in all major transport project business cases  
6. investigating the feasibility of these long-term major projects: Orrong Road, EastLink WA, Brand Highway and North West Coastal Highway upgrade and Stock Road tunnel river crossing. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 60 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

61. Plan and invest in the future development of new heavy rail infrastructure by:

1. investing in high-capacity signalling
2. investing in improved station precinct accessibility through public and active transport programs and improving compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
3. further investigating the merit and staging of investments in the Rail Growth Plan
4. investigating the feasibility of these long-term major projects: East Wanneroo Rail Link, Bunbury Faster Rail and Perth metropolitan orbital rail route. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 61 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Provide certainty for future metropolitan planning by developing a business case for light rail and/or bus rapid transit as the next stage of major public transport priority investment in Perth, particularly in the Perth CBD and inner and middle suburbs, including completing a full options assessment comparing the Knowledge Arc light rail corridor against a potentially more extensive bus rapid transit system for Perth. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 62 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

63. Provide enhanced cycling and walking infrastructure by:

1. allocating a greater portion of state funding to local government cycling projects that deliver strategic, continuous cross-suburban linkages, based on Perth Long Term Cycling Network priorities and equivalent regional plans, including higher state co-funding contributions, further CBD links, projects across multiple local government boundaries and safer active transport links to schools
2. seeking federal funding contributions for a program of cycling infrastructure priority projects
3. requiring application of new safe active transport infrastructure design guidelines for all state and local government projects, based on international best practice, including addressing the needs of micro-mobility device users, cyclists and pedestrians through relevant updates to the WA Planning Commission's policies and Main Roads WA’s procedures for the design, review and approval of local government road works. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 63 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

64. Reduce the environmental impacts of road infrastructure use and achieve a higher uptake rate of low and zero emissions vehicles by implementing further measures that support the State Electric Vehicle Strategy for WA, including:

1. setting a more ambitious target for the WA Government light vehicle fleet uptake
2. accelerating the transition or conversion of other state government vehicles to low and zero emissions technologies, including specialised fleets of public transport buses and emergency services vehicles    
3. expanding the rollout of charging infrastructure on government land and buildings, including at train station car parks
4. supporting the private sector to provide charging infrastructure, including in the Perth CBD through the Perth Parking Management Act 1999 and through planning system policy reforms. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 64 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Support the introduction of connected and automated vehicles by ensuring the anticipated future road infrastructure and related technology system requirements of these vehicles are incorporated in the scope of future transport business cases and strategic planning. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 65 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

66. Complement Westport’s preparations for a new container port in Kwinana by conducting further strategic planning, including:

1. refining and monitoring the estimated optimal required timing for Outer Harbour investment and operations
2. identifying the future location of non-container trades currently based in the Fremantle Inner Harbour
3. optimising the road and rail supply chain servicing the Inner Harbour
4. developing a long-term Inner Harbour masterplan to support future redevelopment, including transport network capacity
5. consistent with Recommendation 31 in the Planning and coordination chapter, progressing planning for strategic economic development opportunities in the Western Trade Coast to leverage planned Westport investment.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 66 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Support strategic economic development opportunities at the Australian Marine Complex by undertaking further planning and staged expansion of common-use infrastructure consistent with the AMC Strategic Infrastructure & Land Use Plan and industry requirements. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 67 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

68. Enhance supply chain efficiency by supporting expansion of direct shipping services to the state’s north, including:

1. assessing the viability, costs and benefits of long-term direct shipping services and associated infrastructure requirements
2. seeking Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and private funding for any major new port facility required for direct shipping, including new common user general cargo facilities
3. funding, in partnership with the Australian Government, all relevant port facilities to have appropriate ‘first point of entry’ infrastructure and systems (for border control, customs and quarantine requirements)
4. planning for fit for purpose road connections to direct shipping facilities. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 68 (a,c,d) is fully supported; (b) is not supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

69. Support long-term investment decision-making for the state’s freight rail network over the remainder of the lease period, consistent with Recommendation 40b in the Infrastructure delivery chapter, by:

1. implementing a structured approach to planning and consideration of public contributions towards proposals for expansion of the network, supporting government contributions by exception under limited circumstances 
2. pursuing further investigations, including for:
   1. WA Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements
   2. Kalgoorlie Rail realignment.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 69 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Progress strategic planning by working with the Australian Government to plan for the long-term potential needs of a new civil aviation and general aviation airport for Perth, including the identification and preservation of sites, and associated connecting infrastructure corridors. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 70 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.