Morley railway station, Perth explained

Morley
Style:Transperth
Style2:EBK
Address:Tonkin Highway & Broun Avenue, Embleton / Morley
Borough:Western Australia
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-31.896°N 115.92°W
Owned:Public Transport Authority
Operator:Public Transport Authority
Platforms:1 island platform with 2 platform edges
Tracks:2
Bus Stands:12
Connections:Bus
Parking:400 bays
Bicycle:Yes
Accessible:Yes
Architect:Woods Bagot & TRCB
Status:Under construction
Zone:2
Opening:2024
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Caption:Location of Morley station
Mapframe-Zoom:13

Morley railway station is a suburban rail and bus interchange station under construction as part of the Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook railway line, serving the Perth suburbs of Bayswater, Embleton and Morley. It is to be built in the median strip of Tonkin Highway at Broun Avenue.

History

A passenger railway through Morley, branching from the Midland line at Bayswater, was included in the 1955 Stephenson-Hepburn Report.[1] However, the government did not incorporate it into the Metropolitan Region Scheme derived from the report when it was adopted in 1963.[2]

A railway station at Morley was later proposed in the lead up to the 2013 election by the opposition Labor Party as part of their Metronet scheme. The station, which would have been served by the plan's Ellenbrook, Wanneroo, and Northern Circle lines, would have been located in Tonkin Highway near Walter Road.[3]

In 2016, the Barnett Government proposed an underground line to Morley from Perth station, with an underground station at the Galleria Shopping Centre.[4] [5] [6] Conversely, in the lead up to the 2017 election, the opposition Labor Party largely retained their 2013 proposal for an above-ground station at Morley on a line to Ellenbrook in their modified Metronet program.[7]

The McGowan Government finalised the present location of the station at Broun Avenue in August 2019.[8]

The designs for Morley station were revealed in April 2022. In the same month, the original Broun Avenue bridge across Tonkin Highway was demolished over four days to make way for a new, wider bridge.[9] By September 2022, all eighteen bridge beams had been lifted into place.[10]

Station design

Morley station will be located in the median strip of Tonkin Highway at Broun Avenue. It will have a bus interchange built on a bridge parallel to Broun Avenue, similar to that of Bull Creek and Murdoch railway stations. As part of the construction of the station, the Broun Avenue bridge will be rebuilt. The bus interchange will have 12 bus stands, and feature a high frequency route to Morley bus station, among others.[11] There will be two lifts and two stairs down to platform level, one of each on either side of the Broun Avenue bridge. Other station facilities include a kiosk, toilets, and secure bicycle shelters.

There will be a multi-storey car park built south of the station, with 400 car bays. Access to the car park will be via Wotton Street. As part of the construction of the car park, the Bayswater Skate Park will be relocated. Possible locations for the new skate park include Broun Park and Joan Rycroft Reserve.[12]

Services

Morley station will be served by Transperth trains operating along the Morley–Ellenbrook Line between Perth and Ellenbrook, and Transperth buses. It is projected that a rail journey to Perth will take 15 minutes. Morley station is in fare zone 2.[13] The station is projected to have 1,365 passenger boardings per day in 2031.[14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Kennedy . Peter . Libs' public transport opportunity . 8 September 2022 . Business News . 21 July 2011 . en.
  2. News: Zimmerman . Josh . Grandson of town planner Gordon Stephenson sets record straight . 8 September 2022 . Melville Gazette . 21 February 2017 . en.
  3. News: Preston . Robyn . Labor promises new Perth rail network . 7 September 2022 . WAtoday . 16 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210423164117/https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/labor-promises-new-perth-rail-network-20121216-2bhhh.html . 23 April 2021 . en.
  4. News: Kagi . Jacob . Perth to Morley underground rail line favoured as MAX light rail plan put on backburner . ABC News . 2 February 2016 . 6 October 2020.
  5. News: McNeill . Heather . Perth subway idea to build an underground rail from Perth to Morley 'nonsense' . 7 September 2022 . WAtoday . 2 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220907124056/https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-subway-idea-to-build-an-underground-rail-from-perth-to-morley-nonsense-20160202-gmjim4.html . 7 September 2022 . en.
  6. News: Young . Emma . West Australian government considers underground railway from CBD to Morley . 7 September 2022 . WAtoday . 2 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220907124125/https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/west-australian-government-considers-underground-railway-from-cbd-to-morley-20160202-gmjged.html . 7 September 2022 . en.
  7. News: O'Connor . Andrew . WA Labor vows to build Metronet stage one in first eight years . 7 September 2022 . ABC News . 15 December 2016 . en-AU.
  8. Web site: Morley-Ellenbrook Line alignment confirmed . METRONET . 7 September 2022.
  9. Web site: Broun Avenue bridge demolished to make way for Morley Station . Media Statements . 26 January 2024 . 5 April 2022.
  10. Web site: Milestone for Tonkin Gap and Morley Ellenbrook Line with final bridge beams installed on new Broun Avenue Bridge . Media Statements . 26 January 2024 . 1 September 2022.
  11. Web site: Morley Station . Metronet . 29 June 2021.
  12. Web site: Lim . Kristie . Skaters' choice: Top Bayswater skate park replacement locations revealed . Perth Now . 6 October 2020 . 6 October 2020.
  13. Web site: Morley Station Fact Sheet. Metronet . 6 October 2020.
  14. Web site: Joint media statement – Perth's newest METRONET train station designs unveiled . Media Statements . 6 October 2020 . 10 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201010165056/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/06/Joint-media-statement-Perths-newest-METRONET-train-station-designs-unveiled.aspx . dead .