The Morley–Ellenbrook line is a planned suburban rail service between the

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

central business district and Ellenbrook in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. Construction began in 2021 as part of

Metronet Metronet may refer to: *Metronet (British infrastructure company), who maintained London Underground infrastructure between 2003 and 2008. *Metronet (Western Australia), government agency formed in 2017, responsible for managing extensions to Perth ...

History

A passenger railway through Morley, branching from the Midland line at

Bayswater Bayswater is an area within the City of Westminster in West London. It is a built-up district with a population density of 17,500 per square kilometre, and is located between Kensington Gardens to the south, Paddington to the north-east, and ...

, was included in the 1955 Stephenson-Hepburn Report. However, the government did not incorporate it into the

Metropolitan Region Scheme The Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) provides the legal basis for land use planning within the Perth metropolitan region. It classifies land into broad zones and reservations and is administered by the Western Australian Planning Commission. I ...

derived from the report when it was adopted in 1963. A rail line to Ellenbrook was first proposed by the Carpenter Government as an election commitment in the lead up to the

2008 election This electoral calendar 2008 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2008 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, even though they are not elections. By-elections are no ...

. The then-opposition

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

matched the commitment, and while they continued to express support for some time after winning the election, a feasibility study was cancelled in 2009 and ultimately nothing eventuated.

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

Colin Barnett Colin James Barnett (born 15 July 1950) is a former Australian politician who was the 29th Premier of Western Australia. He concurrently served as the state's Treasurer at several points during his tenure and had previously held various other po ...

later declared that there was not yet the demand. Instead, in 2011, a

bus rapid transit Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to have much more capacity, reliability and other quality features than a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes ...

system to Ellenbrook was proposed as part of a transport plan to 2031. Before the 2013 election, the opposition Labor Party instead promised a rail line branching from the existing Midland line at

as part of their

scheme. While the bus system had already undergone design work in 2012, it was ultimately cancelled days before the 2013 election on the basis that its cost was unjustifiable given that rail was still intended to be the long-term plan. In 2016, ahead of the 2017 election, the Barnett Government proposed a new, modified version of their BRT system to Ellenbrook. Also in 2016, they proposed in the longer term a rail tunnel from Perth to

Morley Morley may refer to: Places England * Morley, Norfolk, a civil parish * Morley, Derbyshire, a civil parish * Morley, Cheshire, a village * Morley, County Durham, a village * Morley, West Yorkshire, a suburban town of Leeds and civil parish * M ...

, with a possible later extension to Ellenbrook. The opposition Labor Party instead renewed their commitment to build an above-ground line to Ellenbrook and Morley via Bayswater as part of their modified Metronet scheme. After winning the election, the incoming McGowan Government cancelled the BRT plans, but were criticised for delays in planning and funding the rail line. The route alignment for the line was confirmed in August 2019. In April 2020, two consortia were shortlisted by the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. On 22 September 2020, MELconnx Consortium (led by

Laing O’Rourke Laing O'Rourke is a multinational construction company headquartered in Dartford, England. It was founded in 1978 by Ray O'Rourke. It is the largest privately owned construction company in the United Kingdom. History The company was founded by ...

) was announced as the preferred group to build the infrastructure for the line. On 19 October 2020, a construction contract was signed with MELconnx Consortium with early works to begin immediately.

Route

The new service will share infrastructure with the Midland and Airport lines between Perth and

. East of Bayswater, five new stations and of new railway line will be constructed between Bayswater and Ellenbrook for the new service, diverging from the Midland Line.Planning works tender for Morley-Ellenbrook line
''Rail Express'' 27 October 2017 The new railway for the service will travel in the centre of

Tonkin Highway Tonkin Highway is an north–south highway and partial freeway in Perth, Western Australia, linking Perth Airport and Kewdale with the city's north-eastern and south-eastern suburbs. As of April 2020, the northern terminus is at the intercha ...

, through land north of

Marshall Road Marshall Road is an east-west road in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. It is continuous with Beach Road. Route description Marshall Road starts off at a roundabout with Isodoon Street and Dayton Boulevard in a suburban develop ...

and along the western side of

Drumpellier Drive Drumpellier Drive is a north-south road linking Ellenbrook with Reid Highway in the north-eastern suburbs of Perth. The southern section was opened as Lord Street, and was the main link between Ellenbrook and the rest of Perth until the extensi ...

before ending in Ellenbrook. With the Morley-Ellenbrook line's completion, Bayswater station will become a central junction linking with the existing Midland and Airport lines.

Stations

The service will have five new stations at

Noranda Noranda may refer to: *Noranda (mining company) * Noranda Caldera, an Archean caldera in Canada *Noranda, Western Australia Noranda is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located in the City of Bayswater. The suburb was named in 1977 after N ...

, Malaga,

Whiteman Park Whiteman Park is a bushland area located north of Perth, Western Australia. The park is in the suburb of Whiteman, in the Swan Valley in the upper reaches of the Swan River. It encompasses the source of Bennett Brook - an important place o ...

and Ellenbrook, with a sixth station planned at Bennett Springs East. # Morley Station will be built within Tonkin Highway under the Broun Avenue bridge, with high-frequency bus services connecting it with the Morley town centre. # Noranda Station will connect

Benara Road Benara Road is an east–west road in the north-eastern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. Route description Benara Road starts off at a roundabout with Camboon Road in Noranda as a two-lane, single carriageway road with a speed limit of ...

to better serve the surrounding suburbs, located under Benara Road in the Tonkin Highway median. # Malaga Station will serve the people around Ballajura, Alexander Heights, Landsdale and the Malaga employment district. # Whiteman Park Station will serve the people around Brabham and Henley Brook areas and those visiting

. # Ellenbrook Station will be built in the Ellenbrook town centre.

References

External links

Morley-Ellenbrook Line web page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morley-Ellenbrook railway line Proposed railway lines in Australia 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia Ellenbrook, Western Australia Morley, Western Australia Morley–Ellenbrook line Railway lines in highway medians