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Environmental lead on the Morley-Ellenbrook transit options study
RPS was the lead environmental advisor, providing expert analysis on the WA Government’s key transport infrastructure project between Morley and Ellenbrook.
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Engineering and Land Use Planning study
METRONET is a multi-government agency responsible for managing extensions to Perth's public transport network. A key project is the planning and construction of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line in Perth’s north-eastern suburbs, an area expected to grow to more than 400,000 people by 2031.
METRONET commissioned a team of consultants (led by Arup) to undertake an Engineering and Land Use Planning study for transit options and route alignments for the line. RPS was appointed the lead environmental advisor. We worked with the project team to deliver a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) through long-listing and short-listing phases to determine the preferred option for the transit solution.
The study underpinned an Infrastructure Australia Business Case.
Environmental consultancy services
There were a range of significant environmental and heritage factors to consider when assessing the best route, including wetlands, vegetation sensitivities (Banksia woodland), First Nations heritage areas, and the protection of groundwater drinking water sources in the area.
RPS provided the following services for the long- and short-listing processes:
- Attendance and inputs into MCA and design workshops
- Environmental inputs into transit options analysis study
- Restricted field-based investigations to ground-truth site conditions
- Hydrological monitoring to establish baseline conditions
- Risk assessments
Study outcomes
The outcome of the work supported the adoption of the Morley–Ellenbrook rail line and alignment, a suburban rail service providing a new 21-kilometre train line between Ellenbrook and Bayswater, with five new stations at Morley, Noranda, Malaga, Whiteman Park, and Ellenbrook. The new service will provide effective public transport for the forecast population growth and support vibrant urban centres through integrated transport and land use planning.
Construction of the rail line has begun and is due to be completed in late 2024.
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