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Controversial Perth project officially in the can

The Roe 8 and 9 Freight Link project is officially off the board following a legislation amendment made by the Western Australian government

The controversial Roe 8 and 9 Freight Link project has officially come to a closed with the finalisation of an amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS).

The project, which was announced in 2014 and one of the key issues in the 2017 state election, has now been cancelled due to the removal of regional road reservation to ensure areas of significant environmental and heritage value are protected.

The road’s planned route would have taken it through the Beeliar Wetlands and destroyed habitat for endangered animals including the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, a bird that is only found in Western Australia and has experienced extensive habitat destruction in recent years.

Areas of the formerly reserved region that have already been cleared or developed will be rezoned for urban uses including housing, local open space, recreation, private education and commercial and mixed use, which will be determined through subsequent stages of planning.

When announced, the project would have improved the freight road link between Kewdale and Fremantle Harbour at a cost of $1.9 billion. After being announced by a sitting Liberal government in 2014, it was cancelled by a newly elected Labor government in 2017.

Roe 8 would have seen a five-kilometre of the Roe Highway to Stock Road, while Roe 9 would have seen the extended Roe 8 then linked to the Stirling Highway, which would have bypassed 14 sets of traffic lights.

2019 data released by Main Roads WA argued there was no need to build the freight link due to an increase in container transport to Fremantle Port by rail.

At the time one in five containers was being taken to the port by rail, as opposed to one in ten five years before that.

Rail infrastructure in and around Fremantle Port has also since improved, with Fremantle Port’s website stating 400-500 containers travel to the site on between 5-7 trains per day, with each train representing up to 60 fewer trucks on the road.

In the same year though, Transport Workers’ Union WA State Secretary Tim Dawson said the link needed to be built, with Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann stating it was an important project for the reduction in road freight cost and improvement in road safety outcomes.

WA Planning Minister John Carey says the cancellation of the freight link will open up planning potential for the region.

“This road reservation has long been a barrier to planning for the Fremantle/Cockburn area, and the finalisation of this amendment provides certainty to all stakeholders and the community that this road can no longer go ahead,” Carey says.

“The inclusion of urban-zoned land also enables a mixture of other uses to be contemplated through subsequent stages of planning, with opportunities to boost housing supply and rejuvenate parts of the corridor.”

The finalisation of the MRS amendment follows an extensive engagement program with stakeholders including local governments, community groups, local education providers, recreational groups and the broader community.

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