INDIAN PACIFIC TRAIN TO START IN FREO
Exciting news for Freo! The extremely popular Indian Pacific train journey from Perth to Sydney might well become a real coast to coast from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and start here in Fremantle
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti used the 50th anniversary of the tourist train to reveal the WA government was looking into extending the service from East Perth train station to Fremantle, with some of the preliminary work already underway.
Earlier this week the Indian Pacific, the 4352 kilometre transcontinental train trip from Sydney to Perth, celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said it would be fantastic to have Australia’s longest rail journey terminating in Fremantle. The popularity of these long and luxurious rail journeys just seems to be growing and growing, and how amazing would it be for passengers to arrive in Fremantle on the Indian Pacific and actually see the Indian Ocean.”
“There are some really great synergies with having the Indian Pacific arriving in Fremantle. For example, people would be able to step off the train and step straight on to a ferry to Rottnest, or they could ride the Indian Pacific to Fremantle and then board a cruise ship to sail home.
“It could also provide the impetus for the redevelopment of Victoria Quay and improving the connections between the port and the city centre.
An uninterrupted rail link from to the Pacific Ocean in the east to Indian Ocean in the west was not completed until 1969.
The newly named Indian Pacific train embarked on its inaugural transcontinental journey on 23 February 1970, with more than 10,000 people turning out to welcome it upon its arrival in Perth.
On average the Indian Pacific is 774 metres long, consisting of two locomotives and 30 carriages.
It takes about 65 hours to travel the 4352 kilometres from Sydney to Perth, at a leisurely average speed of 85km per hour.
Roel Loopers
ROAD AND RAIL NOISE PROTECTION FOR COMMUNITY
Planning Minister Rita Saffioti today released the revised State Planning Policy 5.4 road and rail noise, which aims to balance the needs of transport corridors with protecting the community from unreasonable amounts of noise.
The new policy will help develop better land use and development outcomes around major transport corridors, including METRONET and the McGowan Government’s social and affordable housing package that will be built around station precincts.
- Revised State Planning Policy 5.4 on road and rail noise released following public consultation
- Updated policy aims to balance the needs of transport corridors while protecting the community from unreasonable noise
- Will broadly apply to new residential developments within 300 metres of a transit corridor
- New guidelines will support delivery of major McGowan Government election commitments including METRONET
The review was overseen by the Western Australian Planning Commission and involved an extensive public consultation period, with 62 stakeholder submissions received.
The new policy balances the community’s need for amenity and quiet while also recognising the need for important freight and transit corridors.
It aims to ensure noise impacts are addressed as early as possible in the planning process and encourages best practice around noise mitigation design and construction standards.
The updated policy will apply broadly to new residential developments proposed within 300 metres of a specified transport corridor and to new or major upgrades of roads and railways.
In addition to simplifying the assessment and implementation process, the policy and associated guidelines will:
- Provide guidance on ‘quiet house’ design requirements such as building orientation, window glazing and insulation;
- Introduce mapping and trigger distances that demonstrate areas to which the policy applies;
- Prioritise strategic freight routes and ensure noise mitigation measures are suitable for the function of the route and the proposed or current land use; and
- Provide better guidance on the content and form of noise management plans.
For more information, visit http://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/spp5-4
Roel Loopers
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HARMLESS PARCEL CLOSES FREMANTLE RAILWAY STATION
The Fremantle railway station was closed for over two hours from 8am this morning when PTA transit guards found a suspicious package and the bomb squad was called in.
Traffic along Phillimore Street was diverted and some train and bus commuters experienced delays.
The parcel turned out to be harmless.
Roel Loopers
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GOLDEN MORNING AT FREO RAILWAY STATION
I had an early 6.30am catch up coffee with former Fremantle Councillor Dave Coggin at Il Cibo this morning. He is a man I greatly respect and really like and he is now working at the WA Premier’s Department.
When we walked out of the cafe Dave pointed at the railway station, saying “Look at that light!” I wandered over of course to take this stunning photo of it.
Roel Loopers
PUTTING YOUR LIFE ON THE FREO LINE
We should never underestimate the stupidity of our fellow human beings, as this photo I took this morning at 10am shows.
This group of young tourists literally put their life on the line by walking on the railway track, because the footpath at Arthur Head is closed due to rockfall danger.
It would have taken a panic run of about 100 metres to get to safety if a container freight train had come. Stupidity at its worst!
Roel Loopers
FREMANTLE TRAFFIC BRIDGE STRENGTHENING
The WA government is spending another $ 3 million on strengthening the Fremantle traffic bridge after it completed the fender system upgrade earlier this year.
Advanteering Civil Engineers has the contract to use specialist divers to repair and strengthen the 100 pilons under water. The work should be completed by May next year.
Roel Loopers
TRAIN CURFEW TO FREMANTLE PORT UNREALISTIC
People living along the railway line that goes through the west of Fremantle are calling for a curfew, claiming that there are more trains running at night and the noise wakes them up.
The railway line has been there for as long as I have known Fremantle and so has Fremantle Port, which is a 24/7 working port.
I agree that the wheel squeal should be fixed as they did near the Roundhouse for the residents of Little High Street. After many trials one Saturday the best solution to combat the annoying noise was water spray and that was installed so that whenever a train comes through the rails are kept wet and there is very little wheel squeal nowadays.
I lived in one of the Pilots Cottages at Arthur Head and enjoyed the sounds of the trains passing by and also the sounds of the working port. It made me feel alive and part of the big beautiful world out there.
People who buy or rent near a railway line, pub, busy road, port, etc. should be aware that they will be inconvenienced and it is unrealistic to demand Fremantle Ports should be a daytime working port only.
I was told that people who bought apartments in North Fremantle would call Fremantle Port to complain about night noise and demand it should close from 6pm till 6am. That is pretty ridiculous and so are the calls to put a curfew on the container trains that supply the port.
Ideally one day the freight will go down another rail track and the one through the West End of town can be used for lightrail to South Beach, Coogee and Rockingham.
Roel Loopers
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