Since the Armadale Line was shut down for its much-needed upgrade in November 2023, locals have been sceptical of the Transport Minister’s ‘100 per cent’ certainty that works would be finished and trains would be running again at the end of the stated 18-month schedule.
With only two months left until that original deadline expires, and just three weeks after Labor convincingly won a third term in government, Minister Rita Saffioti has vindicated the doubters.
The first east-west connection in Perth’s rail network, the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will officially open on June 9. As will the “inner stations” of the Armadale line (up to Beckenham, which is the connection point for the Cockburn-Thornlie and Armadale Lines).
But the remainder of the line – from Kenwick to Byford – will now reopen “a few months later” according to Ms Saffioti.
“There were some construction issues and we were anticipating to claw back that timeframe but unfortunately, we haven’t,” she said.
“I think one or two of the piers had to be replaced or some beams had to be replaced and that work’s now finished … we’re now on the home stretch.
“To the regular train commuters on the outer section of the Armadale Line who will need to wait a few more months – we apologise for this inconvenience.
“Rest assured the team are working incredibly hard to get the line fully reopened as soon as possible.
“Rail replacement bus services will remain in place until the entire line reopens, and I can also confirm that anyone receiving free public transport during the shutdown will continue to receive that concession until their regular train station between either Kenwick of Armadale reopens.
“Thanks to everyone for their patience – the new stations are looking incredible and I can’t wait for people to see them firsthand.”
While the minister’s admission confirmed what many had known for a while, it also raised quite a few questions.
In December, after noticing that very little headway had been made on the new Armadale Station, the Examiner got confirmation from Metronet that the project had experienced difficulties.
“During routine inspections on the Armadale Station viaduct, a slight misalignment with the elastomeric bearing pad that sits on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam was identified.” a spokesperson for Metronet said in December.
“A safe and workable solution, requiring some bearings to be replaced has been implemented and work is continuing on the Byford Rail Extension project.”
After the somewhat mismatched justification for the delay Minister Saffioti gave at Sunday’s press conference, The Examiner again asked Metronet to confirm whether larger structural issues had been discovered during the project.
“As has been previously noted, the Byford Rail Extension has encountered construction challenges, which specifically related to the elastomeric bearing pads that sit on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam,” the spokesperson said.
“Construction teams have been working hard in recent months to make up lost time due to this construction issue, but unfortunately a staged reopening was required.”
“The Byford Rail Extension has made good progress in recent months with the entire elevated rail structure now complete, while the majority of the rail and overhead line equipment installed.”
It is comforting to know that the problem was relatively minor, and the solution simple and “workable”. But it is curious that simply replacing these bearings has caused a “few months” of delays to the entire project, especially with construction teams putting their noses to the grindstone to make up for lost time.
And very few are buying the fact that Metronet and Ms Saffioti did not know there’d be a delay before the March 8 election.
“What a surprise. Not. Election over, so truth comes out,” Lesley said.
For many, there’s also a large bone of contention that the track isn’t being opened up to Gosnells.
“Why not run the trains to Gossy when there is a scissor crossing for trains to change tracks after Gosnells,” Clinton asked.
“I get that I’m not an engineer, but I just don’t understand why the Maddington and Gosnells stations can’t be opened. They literally only had their crossings replaced and rail changes. They look complete…” Bec said.
When we put that question to Metronet, they didn’t respond to it.
The City of Gosnells communities are already feeling neglected after they were missed off the list for level crossing removals during this ‘whole-of-line’ upgrade.
That sentiment is likely to fester without justification for keeping Kenwick, Maddington and Gosnells trainless for another few months.
A community event to celebrate the opening of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will be held on Sunday, June 8. Further details about the community event will be provided closer to opening.
The government has said that the formal reopening date for the outer section of the Armadale Line will be announced soon, and a community event to celebrate the full reopening of the Armadale Line will be held later this year.
