Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has confirmed the opening date for Perth's new Midland Station while defending the project's near-doubled budget, insisting the Metronet investment has been transformational for Western Australia.
Budget Blowout Defended as Transformation
The original $239 million budget for Midland Station has ballooned to $417 million, representing a $178 million increase. Despite the significant cost overrun, Ms Saffioti maintains the result justifies the expense.
"What we've done is deliver 72 kilometres of new rail," the Transport Minister stated. "We've delivered 23 new stations, removed level crossings and, without this type of infrastructure, without this type of investment, it'd be harder to move around our suburbs."
Ms Saffioti emphasized that the government's infrastructure approach has received "overwhelming support from the community" through three consecutive election endorsements.
31-Day Shutdown Ahead of Opening
Commuters are being warned of significant disruptions with the Midland Line partially shutting down for 31 days from January 22. The closure will affect services between Bassendean and Midland stations while final critical works are completed.
The shutdown period will allow for the demolition of the current train station and the closure of the Morrison Road level crossing. During this time, replacement bus services will operate to transport affected passengers.
"There'll be bus replacement services, as there always is when we have to do these interruptions," Ms Saffioti confirmed.
New Station Features and Community Celebration
The completed Midland Station represents the final piece of the Metronet puzzle that has been Ms Saffioti's focus for eight years. The new facility boasts several modern amenities including:
- A pedestrian overpass for improved accessibility
- Secure bike shelters for cycling commuters
- A new bus interchange for seamless connections
- A multi-storey car park with 800 bays
A community event will be held on Sunday, February 22 to officially open the new station to the public. The Minister expressed pride in the completed project, noting that "this has been a project that has employed thousands of people" and describing Perth's train stations as "world class."
The Minister reflected on the broader Metronet achievement, stating "I'm really proud of the work that's been done" over the eight-year development period.
