Commissioner’s Foreword
An efficient, sustainable transport system is central to maintaining our liveability and our road network is vital in keeping Western Australia’s people and freight moving for the economic and social prosperity of our State.
It is in the interest of all Western Australians to ensure an effective freight network is supported by key infrastructure that continues to meet the State’s freight task to 2031 and beyond. The completion of the Gateway WA project has transformed the entry to Western Australia, upgrading the safety and efficiency of one of our most important transport hubs in the State.
Construction began on the project in 2013. The past three years have delivered a suite of road network upgrades, improving freight and passenger movements, around Perth Airport and the nearby Kewdale and Forrestfield industrial estates.
Cyclists and pedestrians have also benefited from the project with more than 21 kilometres of shared path and local connections. The project is one of many efforts being made to ensure an integrated transport network and provision of different transport options for Perth commuters.
A major milestone last year was the official ground-breaking on the first section of the $1.12 billion NorthLink WA project which will provide a non-stop transport route between Morley and Muchea.
A $40 million package for ongoing traffic management across Perth's road network was announced in the State Budget, forming part of the wider Traffic Congestion Management Program. The program’s successes bode well for the coming year, with new projects set to launch during 2016–17.
Regionally, safety and accessibility were greatly improved through a range of projects across the State.
Since 2010, we have been working together with our portfolio partners, the Public Transport Authority and Department of Transport, to enhance the coordination of our operations, and develop unified policies and regulatory functions.
Our Transport Portfolio Planning Day saw leadership colleagues from across the three transport agencies come together to consider the changing transport needs of our State. The forum discussed how political, economic, social and environmental factors will influence our way forward.
The collaboration resulted in the Transport Portfolio Strategic Framework which centres on our promise to strive towards providing world class outcomes for our customers through integrated and intelligent transport systems and services.
Building on this promise, work continued on the ‘Perth Transport Plan for 3.5 million People and Beyond’. The plan looks at options for roads, river crossings, mass transit, cycling, demand management and future technologies and is set to be released early in the new financial year.
The plan examines innovative ways to manage traffic demand across the network – a key priority now and in the future.
At the core of everything we do at Main Roads and across the wider Transport Portfolio are our customers and the travellers who form our community. Together, we will continue to keep Western Australia moving by helping each and every Western Australian to get to where they need to be as safely and efficiently as possible. We will also continue to ensure the road-transport system supports businesses to deliver billions of dollars in goods and services each year.
As I prepare to step back from my role as Commissioner of Main Roads and related portfolio positions I am immensely proud of what we have been able to achieve over the past six years. I am confident that the structures are in place to ensure the portfolio continues to evolve to benefit the State and the generations to come.
Reece Waldock
Commissioner of Main Roads