On the 26th November, the Liberal-National Government announced that it was fulfilling its $240 million commitment to extend the Joondalup railway line by 7.5 kilometres, with a new train and bus station and Park ‘n’ Ride facility to be built in Butler.

Transport minister, Simon O’Brien, said that preliminary earthworks are already under way, with physical construction of the rail line scheduled to start in 2011. Passenger train services are expected to commence by the end of 2014.

“Extending the Joondalup line to Butler is an important and logical step in expanding our integrated public transport system,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It ultimately enhances the communities it serves and contributes to the sustainability of the wider metropolitan area.”

Currently, passenger services only go as far as Clarkson. This situation is no longer adequate for servicing a growing city. The population of the north-west corridor from Clarkson to Two Rocks is expected to more than quadruple from 41,000 in 2006 to 188,000 by 2031.

The concept of expanding Perth’s northern rail line has been talked about for many years, with the Northern Suburbs Transit System - Currambine to Butler Extension: Interim Master Plan, being published by the previous Liberal Court government in 2000.

The state opposition criticised the government’s plan to put in only one new train station between Clarkson and Brighton.

Opposition transport spokesman, Ken Travers, says there should be two stations built along the extension.

“The cancellation of the Butler station will mean there are 1800 cars a day additionally on the roads in the northern suburbs adding to congestion and the people living around the

proposed Butler station will be very disappointed,” he said.

Many Yanchep and Two Rocks residents are very disappointed with the recent announcement.

As one Yanchep resident said: “If the rail is only going to get to Brighton by 2014, it will be at least another 15 to 25 years before it gets to Yanchep.”