Perth grapples with growth and funding challenges

Rapid population growth in Perth is placing ever growing demands on the Western Australian capital city's public transport infrastructure. This article takes a look at the city's plans for rapid transit, as well other projects for its rail system. The past decade has seen an almost doubling in patronage for the TransPerth suburban rail network, as there have been a number of infrastructure projects and improvements to expand and enhance the network, which are detailed here. A light rail project is the cornerstone of the state government's draft plan, Public Transport for Perth in 2031 - the $A 1.9b Metro Area Express (Max), which is considered to be the most ambitious of several light rail plans for major Australian cities. In addition to providing a prioritized high-capacity public transport link between major activity centers and the city center in order to improve commuter travel times and reduce congestion, it is hoped it will act as a catalyst for urban consolidation. However, funding issues cloud the certainty with which these projects will move forward.