Timeline for Perth Freight Link second stage depends on route, Transport Minister Dean Nalder says

source: abc news

Timeline for Perth Freight Link second stage depends on route, Transport Minister Dean Nalder says

 

Dean Nalder says he will report back to Parliament if the project's timeline is pushed out.

The final timing of the second stage of the Perth Freight Link will be contingent on which route it takes to Fremantle, Transport Minister Dean Nalder has told State Parliament.

The Government has been questioned over the timeline for the project after comments from Premier Colin Barnett appeared to suggest the second stage could be delayed.

The Opposition pursued the Transport Minister in Question Time, seeking a firm answer on if and when the second stage linking the Roe Highway to Fremantle would proceed. Mr Nalder said the Government remained committed to both stages of the $1.6 billion heavy transport route, linking Perth's industrial eastern suburbs to the Fremantle Port.

"The Fremantle link is a very important project for the state of Western Australia and we stand by that," he said.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the contrasting statements by the Premier and Transport Minister were symptomatic of a confused decision-making process.

"The Transport Minister and the Premier are in total contradiction over the Perth Freight Link. Clearly the relationship between the two of them is dysfunctional and chaotic," he said.

Let me be clear, the Premier's right, we're on the same page with this.

"The Premier says they might build it. The Minister yesterday said they will build it. What is going on?"

Mr McGowan said the apparent confusion over the controversial second stage of the project was adding to the stress of those residents in Palmyra who face losing their homes.
"It's very distressing for people in that area. There they are, their houses could be bulldozed. They've got a Minister saying one thing, the Premier saying another and they're the meat in the sandwich," he said.

But responding in Parliament, Mr Nalder refuted the Opposition's criticisms.

"Let me be clear, the Premier's right, we're on the same page with this," he said. Mr Nalder said the "base case" for the project was to take stage two down Stock Road to Leach Highway and onto High Street.

He said that remained the current option and the Government had also asked three proponents to explore alternative routes.

"We have a critical time period coming up where, a critical junction when the proponents come back to us with possible solutions. Now at that point we may move away from the base case," he said.
"So that is the time when we will review timelines, that is the critical junction.

"If I can find a better solution and it requires us to do more additional work that pushes out the timeline, then that'll be the time that we report it back through Parliament."

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