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Geraldton to Perth and Southwest fast rail in planning mix

Headshot of Elise Van Aken
Elise Van AkenGeraldton Guardian
Passenger electric train rides at high speed on the turn of the railway line.
Camera IconPassenger electric train rides at high speed on the turn of the railway line. Credit: aapsky/Getty Images/iStockphoto

A high-speed train connecting Geraldton to Perth and beyond is one proposal up for consideration by the State Government as part of its next infrastructure projects over the next two decades.

Retired academic and “self-confessed train obsessive” Kevin McQuoid told ABC’s WA Regional Drive program he submitted a “rapid rail network” concept plan to Infrastructure WA which would connect Geraldton to Esperance with stops in major cities and regional towns.

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The trains would be able to travel up to 180km/h and could transport passengers from Bunbury to Perth in less than an hour along the Forrest Highway corridor.

The draft State Infrastructure Strategy recommended an “investigation into the viability, benefits and costs of a Bunbury Fast Rail link in the long term, (which) will support future government decision making in relation to connectivity and land use in the South West region and potentially other regional centres”.

Infrastructure WA chief executive Phil Helberg said Mr McQuoid’s submission was one of many made in response to public consultation on the strategy, which closed in mid-September.

IWA’s draft Strategy includes a recommendation to investigate the feasibility of a fast-rail connection between Perth and Bunbury in the long term.

Infrastructure WA CEO Phil Helberg.

“(Mr McQuoid’s paper) was not commissioned by IWA, and was one of many transport-related submissions received as part of public consultation for the draft Strategy.”

He said IWA was not working on any high-speed rail proposals and the WA Government’s response to the recommendations in the final SIS was expected in 2022.

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