Ordinary Meeting of Council
14 December 2016
4.1
Ward:
PROPOSED FREIGHT RAIL REALIGNMENT
(Midland/Guildford Ward)
(Asset Management)
Disclosure of Interest: Nil
Authorised Officer: (Executive Manager Operations)
KEY ISSUES
•
The Department of Planning has recently completed a review of the freight rail
realignment between Great Eastern Highway Bypass in Hazelmere and Roe
Highway, Bellevue.
•
The Minister for Planning has declared a planning control area over the land
identified for the proposed Midland Freight Rail Realignment as shown on
Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) plans numbered 1.7402,
1.7403 and 1.7404
•
The Department of Planning have asked the City to provide comment on the
proposed realignment and present possible solutions that can be included as a
part of the project that will ensure local traffic connectivity in the area following
the realignment.
It is recommended that the Council endorse the proposed road modifications and
comments outlined in this report and advise they should be included as a part of the
freight rail realignment MRS advertising.
BACKGROUND
Currently the freight rail for the State runs through the centre of Midland and
Woodbridge. This causes traffic congestion at the rail crossings and causes noise
pollution past residential properties. The long term plan for the State is to realign the
freight route to move it out of Midland and Woodbridge.
The Department of Planning have carried out a review of the proposed freight rail
realignment between Great Eastern Highway Bypass in Hazelmere and Roe Highway in
Bellevue. The study was to investigate possible route options and rationalise the area
required for the realignment in order to declare a planning control area (PCA) over the
preferred route.
Page 1
Ordinary Meeting of Council
14 December 2016
DETAILS
With the completion of the realignment study the Minister for Planning has granted
approval for the declaration of a planning control area over the land identified for the
proposed Midland Freight Rail Realignment as shown on Western Australian Planning
Commission (WAPC) plans numbered 1.7402, 1.7403 and 1.7404 (Attached). The WAPC
has confirmed that an MRS amendment will now be progressed to secure the alignment.
The Department of Planning have requested Council to provide comment on the
proposed realignment and present possible solutions that can be included as a part of
the project that will ensure local traffic connectivity in the area following the
realignment. This will include advertising of the amendment with the ultimate decision
on whether the Midland Freight Rail Realignment is included in the MRS resting with the
Minister for Planning.
At this stage it is not proposed that Council support or don’t support the MRS
amendment. This report is just to provide comment on road connectivity issues to be
included in the advertising of the MRS amendment. Council has previously supported the
realignment of the freight rail line out of the Midland town centre.
The following proposed recommendations and comments have been prepared by City
staff and a diagrammatic map included as an attachment. It should be noted that some
items are high cost. However, given the scale of the project these items are considered
reasonable. If this project is progressed without these recommendations, sections of
Bellevue will be isolated by the proposed rail in the area following the realignment.
1. Overpass for Stirling Crescent to traverse the rail line and Great Eastern Highway Bypass
Main Roads Western Australia has advised that Stirling Crescent will be severed when
the grade separation of Roe Highway and Great Eastern Highway Bypass is
constructed. This will disconnect the northern and southern industrial areas and
remove a primary access point to the surrounding primary road network. As such it is
requested that a bridge (including land for the bridge) that traverses both the freight
line and Great Eastern Highway Bypass be included as a part of the freight rail
realignment project.
An overpass at this location will provide improved connectivity in the Hazelmere area
and will likely reduce the overall impacts of the realignment for the area.
Furthermore the inclusion of an overpass allows for future growth and intensification
of the strategically important Hazelmere industrial area in the long term.
2. Retain a connected Military Road
As a part of the freight rail realignment it is proposed to remove Military Road
between Bushmead Road and the entrance to Austral Bricks. It is requested that the
realignment be modified to not sever this connection as it provides an important link
between the Bellevue and Hazelmere industrial areas. Removal of Military Road
would:
a. put the interconnecting industrial traffic onto the Primary Regional Road
network, which is not planned/designed for local trips; or
b. push heavy vehicle industrial traffic onto the intersection of Clayton St and
Lloyd St, which will cause a conflict between the industrial traffic and
commuter and shopping traffic; and
c. sever access to commercial premises at the corner of Military and
Bushmead Roads and to Austral Bricks.
Page 2
Ordinary Meeting of Council
14 December 2016
3. Helena Valley Road and Midland Road Intersection Improvement
Currently the intersection of Helena Valley Road and Midland Road has poor sight
lines and will likely decrease in level of service as development in the area increases.
As a part of the realignment project it has been identified that the bridge over Roe
Highway will be replaced with a new bridge that provides greater clearance for both
the rail line and Roe Highway to enable the High Wide Load route to be moved onto
Roe Highway.
Given the major modifications required near the intersection of Helena Valley Road
and Midland Road it is requested that the intersection be shifted further to the east
and appropriate land be set aside to improve safety. Further investigation based on
the new bridge configuration and future traffic demands will need to be included as
part of the project.
4. New road off Military Road through Austral Bricks site to connect to MRA’s
new road (with Rail underpass)
The southern portion of the Bellevue light industrial area will be severed as a result
of the proposed rail freight line. To secure connectivity out of the Bellevue light
industrial area it is requested that a new road through the Austral Bricks site and an
underpass under the freight line is allowed for and constructed as a part of the
realignment. This will also provide connectivity for future development of the Austral
Bricks site. The City does not see Austral Bricks remaining at that location in the long
term and this will likely become light industrial/commercial development over time.
5. North and south connections under the existing Roe Highway railway bridge.
The proposed realignment of the freight line will remove the existing at grade rail
crossing at Robinson Road, disconnecting Bellevue north and south of the freight
route. The existing Roe Highway bridge crossing does not substitute for the loss of
this at grade rail crossing; this is discussed further in item 6.
It is requested that the connection of the northern remaining portions of Robinson
Road to Jonathan St and Rason Parade (west to east) under the existing railway
bridge under Roe Highway will improve this connectivity immensely at a relatively
low cost. The current Roe Highway bridge structure should have ample room for a
public road and would significantly assist in local road connectivity north and south of
the existing railway.
6. Construction of the Bellevue Link Road
With the closure of Robinson Road rail crossing and the eventual
closure/reconfiguration of Scott Street intersection when Great Eastern Highway is
upgraded it is requested that the underpass of “Bellevue Link Road” (connection of
Horace St and Katharine St) be constructed as a part of the re-alignment. The road is
proposed to travel under the existing rail freight route at the point where the rail is at
its highest point above the natural ground level.
Page 3
Ordinary Meeting of Council
14 December 2016
This connection will allow for traffic in the Bellevue, Koongamia, Helena Valley areas
to access GEH when travelling north as opposed to travelling through the new
business district near Lloyd Street and then travelling north or doing left turns then
right and rat running through Swan View. The road will also provide a good long term
connection (pedestrian underpass, crossing to parking) for a future Bellevue train
station. This is a longer term project to resolve connectivity issues in the locality and
is a part of the Bellevue East Land Use Study (BELUS).
7. Provision for the Clayton Street underpass to be 4 lanes.
With the additional residential areas proposed for Bellevue and Helena Valley and
infill development in Bellevue and Koongamia as well as commercial development in
the MRA area,
the provision of 4 traffic lanes and a cycleway under the rail
structure will future proof Clayton Street and cater for expected local traffic growth.
Catering for a future widened Clayton Street at this early stage is prudent.
CONSULTATION
Consultation and notification for the PCA carried out by the Department of Planning in
accordance with Planning and Development Act 2005.
ATTACHMENTS
Planning Control Area Drawings 1.7402, 1.7403 and 1.7404
Annotated Midland Freight Rail Re-alignment Map
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS
Proposed freight rail realignment will have strategic implications on the transport
infrastructure of Bellevue and Hazelmere. The realignment will also have implications on
future land use.
STATUTORY IMPLICATIONS
Nil
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
It is proposed that all network modifications be included as a part of the freight rail
realignment project as the modifications are required as a result of the project.
Page 4
Ordinary Meeting of Council
14 December 2016
VOTING REQUIREMENTS
Simple majority
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council resolve to:
1)
Support the officers comments on road connectivity issues on the proposed
freight rail realignment as outlined in this report.
2)
Note this is not a formal support or non-support comment on the proposed freight
rail realignment.
3)
Forward a copy of this report to the Department of Planning, advising of the
comments and proposed modifications to the road network and requesting that
they be included as a part of the freight rail realignment MRS advertising.
REVISED RECOMMENDATION
That the Council resolve to:
1)
Defer consideration of this matter until a further Ordinary Meeting of Council to
accommodate a request of the Department of Planning to conduct further
meetings with relevant City of Swan staff on this matter.
MOTION that the Council resolve to adopt the staff recommendation.
(Cr Elliott – Cr Haynes)
RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY TO:
1)
Defer consideration of this matter until a further Ordinary Meeting of Council to
accommodate a request of the Department of Planning to conduct further
meetings with relevant City of Swan staff on this matter.
Page 5
$QQRWDWHG0LGODQG)UHLJKW5DLO5HDOLJQPHQW0DS
Item 7. Request
allowance for 4
lanes at Clayton St
crossing
Item 5. Request
possible new
connections under
rail bridge
Item 4. Request
allowance for
possible new road
through Austral
Bricks in the long
term
Item 2. Request
retain Military
Road
Item 3. Request
modifications to
Helena Valley
Road and Midland
Road
Item 1. Request
proposed bridges
to connect Stirling
Crescent
Item 6. Request
construction of
underpass for
Bellevue Link