Morley railway station, Perth

Morley railway station is a suburban rail and bus interchange station under construction as part of the Metronet Ellenbrook line, serving the Perth suburbs of Bayswater, Embleton and Morley. It is to be built in the median strip of Tonkin Highway at Broun Avenue.[1]

Morley
Morley railway station under construction in February 2024
General information
LocationTonkin Highway & Broun Avenue, Embleton / Morley
Western Australia
Australia
Coordinates31°53′46″S 115°55′12″E / 31.896°S 115.920°E / -31.896; 115.920
Owned byPublic Transport Authority
Operated byPublic Transport Authority
Line(s)     Ellenbrook line
Platforms1 island platform with 2 platform edges
Tracks2
Bus stands12
ConnectionsBus
Construction
Parking400 bays
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
ArchitectWoods Bagot & TRCB
Other information
StatusUnder construction
Fare zone2
History
Opening8 December 2024 (8 December 2024)
Services
Preceding station Transperth Transperth Following station
Opening in 2024
Bayswater
towards Perth
Ellenbrook line Noranda
towards Ellenbrook
Location
Map
Location of Morley station

History

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A passenger railway through Morley, branching from the Midland line at Bayswater, was included in the 1955 Stephenson-Hepburn Report.[2] However, the government did not incorporate it into the Metropolitan Region Scheme derived from the report when it was adopted in 1963.[3]

A railway station at Morley was later proposed in the lead up to the 2013 election by the opposition Labor Party as part of their Metronet scheme. The station, which would have been served by the plan's Ellenbrook, Wanneroo, and Northern Circle lines, would have been located in Tonkin Highway near Walter Road.[4]

In 2016, the Barnett Government proposed an underground line to Morley from Perth station, with an underground station at the Galleria Shopping Centre.[5][6][7] Conversely, in the lead up to the 2017 election, the opposition Labor Party largely retained their 2013 proposal for an above-ground station at Morley on a line to Ellenbrook in their modified Metronet program.[8]

The McGowan Government finalised the present location of the station at Broun Avenue in August 2019.[9]

The designs for Morley station were revealed in April 2022. In the same month, the original Broun Avenue bridge across Tonkin Highway was demolished over four days to make way for a new, wider bridge.[10] By September 2022, all eighteen bridge beams had been lifted into place.[11]

Station design

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Multi-storey car park under construction in February 2024

Morley station will be located in the median strip of Tonkin Highway at Broun Avenue. It will have a bus interchange built on a bridge parallel to Broun Avenue, similar to that of Bull Creek and Murdoch railway stations. As part of the construction of the station, the Broun Avenue bridge will be rebuilt. The bus interchange will have 12 bus stands, and feature a high frequency route to Morley bus station, among others.[12] There will be two lifts and two stairs down to platform level, one of each on either side of the Broun Avenue bridge. Other station facilities include a kiosk, toilets, and secure bicycle shelters.[1]

There will be a multi-storey car park built south of the station, with 400 car bays. Access to the car park will be via Wotton Street. As part of the construction of the car park, the Bayswater Skate Park was relocated from its previous position in Wotton Reserve to the eastern side of the park.[1][13]

Services

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Morley station will be served by Transperth trains operating along the Ellenbrook line between Perth and Ellenbrook, and Transperth buses. It is projected that a rail journey to Perth will take 15 minutes. Morley station is in fare zone 2.[1] The station is projected to have 1,365 passenger boardings per day in 2031.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Morley Station Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metronet. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  2. ^ Kennedy, Peter (21 July 2011). "Libs' public transport opportunity". Business News. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  3. ^ Zimmerman, Josh (21 February 2017). "Grandson of town planner Gordon Stephenson sets record straight". Melville Gazette. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  4. ^ Preston, Robyn (16 December 2012). "Labor promises new Perth rail network". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  5. ^ Kagi, Jacob (2 February 2016). "Perth to Morley underground rail line favoured as MAX light rail plan put on backburner". ABC News. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. ^ McNeill, Heather (2 February 2016). "Perth subway idea to build an underground rail from Perth to Morley 'nonsense'". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  7. ^ Young, Emma (2 February 2016). "West Australian government considers underground railway from CBD to Morley". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  8. ^ O'Connor, Andrew (15 December 2016). "WA Labor vows to build Metronet stage one in first eight years". ABC News. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Morley-Ellenbrook Line alignment confirmed" (PDF). METRONET. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Broun Avenue bridge demolished to make way for Morley Station". Media Statements. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Milestone for Tonkin Gap and Morley Ellenbrook Line with final bridge beams installed on new Broun Avenue Bridge". Media Statements. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Morley Station". Metronet. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  13. ^ Rifici, Victoria (13 December 2022). "Perth's biggest vert ramp drops in at new City of Bayswater Skate Park". Perth Now. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Joint media statement – Perth's newest METRONET train station designs unveiled". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
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