The Roe 8 highway extension would be scrapped and its money spent on projects like the North Lake Road Bridge and Armadale Road widening if Labor win the March state election.
Labor leader Mark McGowan made the announcement at the future site of the North Lake Road Bridge yesterday.
If elected they would renegotiate the recently signed Roe 8 contract and allocate the funds to pushing the $145million Armadale Road widening project forward to this year and building the $166million bridge over the Kwinana Freeway.
They would also invest $95million on to new overpasses on Wanneroo Road at Ocean Reef Road and Joondalup Drive.
They will also use $20million to plan for the outer harbour in Kwinana and the rest of the $1.7billion for the Perth freight link would go to other transport projects.
“A government I lead will stop Roe 8,” Mr McGowan said.
“Roe 8 is a highway to nowhere.
“All of the advice is that (Fremantle) Port will be full within the next 10 years.
“It is a far more sensible option to go with WA Labor’s plan for freight and trade which is to start the planning for a new port in Kwinana, start the road and rail links to a new port and rail in Kwinana.
“We’re going to use the proceeds of Perth freight link and Roe 8 more productively on job creating projects.
“The Armadale Road North Lake Road Bridge across the freeway, which will free up congestion here in the city centre is a much needed project, a high priority congestion project.
“We’re going to bring forward the Armadale road widening of Armadale road between Tapper Road and Anstey Road to 2017.
“These are job creating projects that bust congestion and make sure we use taxpayer’s money more wisely.”
Mr McGowan said they were acting on advice from the former WA Solicitor General Grant Donaldson who advised them the contract gave the State Government the ability to pull out of the project with ‘limited’ financial implications.
Mr McGowan did not say how much money they would lose if they pulled out of the project.
“Up until June 30 the government has allocated $56million towards Roe 8, we would end the contract on March 11,” he said.
The Federal Government could throw a spanner into the works with $1.2billion of the freight link being funded by them.
A spokesman for Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said the funding could not ‘simply’ be reallocated to other projects.
A spokesman for Transport Minister Bill Marmion said Labor was putting the federal funding at risk and would cost WA taxpayers $40million.
“Roe 8 is not only important for WA’s economic development, it will improve congestion and road safety in the area – it will redistribute 6900 trucks and 74,000 light vehicles from existing roads,” he said.
When asked what they would do for priority congestion hotspots along Leach Highway, Mr McGowan and Shadow Transport Minister Rita Saffiotti were unable to offer any concrete promises.
Ms Saffiotti said the Armadale Road and Wanneroo Road projects were chosen because they were ‘shovel ready’.
City of Armadale mayor Henry Zelones said he was pleased to see the Armadale Road work was a priority.
