Metro Area Express (Perth)

{{further|Trams in Perth}}

Perth's original tramway network, which linked the Perth central business district with many of Perth's inner suburbs, was in operation between the end of the nineteenth century and 1958.

Since the start of 2007, there have been four proposals for the reintroduction of trams to the Perth metropolitan area, in the form of light rail.{{cite news |title=Light rail decisions needed now |first=Diana |last=Ryan |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/opinion/post/-/blog/theburningissue/post/1796/comment/1 |newspaper=The West Australian |date=17 January 2011 |access-date=18 January 2011 |archive-date=31 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131003436/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/opinion/post/-/blog/theburningissue/post/1796/comment/1/ |url-status=live }} At least two of the proposals have been the subject of a detailed feasibility study.{{cite web |url=http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies/Publications/2136.aspx |title=Perth Light Rail Study |author=Department for Planning and Infrastructure |author-link=Department for Planning and Infrastructure |year=2007 |work=Planning Western Australia website |publisher=Department of Planning, Western Australia |access-date=18 January 2011 |archive-date=5 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205210436/http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies/Publications/2136.aspx |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.stirlingcitycentre.com.au/assets/Uploads/RPTLightRailPatronageandFinancingStudyFeb2010.pdf |title=Stirling tram feasibility study – Preliminary patronage estimates |author=Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia |date=February 2010 |work=Stirling City Centre Alliance website |publisher=City of Stirling |access-date=18 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314224101/http://www.stirlingcitycentre.com.au/assets/Uploads/RPTLightRailPatronageandFinancingStudyFeb2010.pdf |archive-date=14 March 2011 }}

In September 2012, the Government of Western Australia announced plans for a new Perth network, to be known as Metro Area Express (MAX).{{cite web|title=WA's first light rail network gets the green light|url=https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Barnett/2012/09/WA%E2%80%99s-first-light-rail-network-gets-the-green-light.aspx|work=Ministerial Media Statements|publisher=Government of Western Australia|access-date=20 June 2013|date=2 September 2013|archive-date=6 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206185702/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Barnett/2012/09/WA%E2%80%99s-first-light-rail-network-gets-the-green-light.aspx|url-status=live}}

Construction of the first stage was originally scheduled to begin in 2016, and be completed by the end of 2018. However, in December 2013 the government announced the project would be deferred for three years.{{cite web|title=Reform and restructure puts brakes on debt|url=http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/StatementDetails.aspx?listName=StatementsBarnett&StatId=8032|work=Ministerial Media Statements|publisher=Government of Western Australia|date=18 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108110520/http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/StatementDetails.aspx?listName=StatementsBarnett&StatId=8032|archive-date=8 January 2014}} Under the new timeframe the MAX network was to open in 2022.{{cite web|url=http://max.wa.gov.au/54.html|title=About the Project – Anticipated timeline|publisher=MAX - Metro Area Express|access-date=8 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108110829/http://max.wa.gov.au/54.html|archive-date=8 January 2014}}

In April 2014, incoming transport minister Dean Nalder stated the government would investigate splitting the project into two parts, to allow an earlier start to be made on construction with priority given to the Balga - CBD section.{{cite news|title=Transport Minister Dean Nalder reveals MAX light rail rethink|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/transport-minister-dean-nalder-reveals-max-light-rail-rethink/story-fnhocxo3-1226896897788|access-date=26 May 2014|newspaper=Perth Now|date=27 April 2014|archive-date=29 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429060920/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/transport-minister-dean-nalder-reveals-max-light-rail-rethink/story-fnhocxo3-1226896897788|url-status=live}}

In March 2015, the government announced it was considering using buses to implement the MAX route rather than light rail. Transport minister Dean Nalder said a preliminary analysis suggested that using buses would cost approximately 50% less than a light rail system.{{cite news |last1=O'Connor |first1=Andrew |title=Move from light rail to buses not a broken promise, WA Transport Minister Dean Nalder says |newspaper=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=8 March 2015 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-08/wa-transport-minister-says-move-to-buses-from-rail-not-a-broken/6288838 |access-date=8 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308030608/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-08/wa-transport-minister-says-move-to-buses-from-rail-not-a-broken/6288838 |archive-date=8 March 2015 |url-status=live}} {{webarchive |format=addlarchives |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309203825/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-08/wa-transport-minister-says-move-to-buses-from-rail-not-a-broken/6288838 |date=9 March 2015}} In February 2016 it was proposed by the government that a heavy rail line be built.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-02/perth-morley-railway-line-mooted-max-light-rail-loses-favour/7133270 Perth to Morley underground rail line favoured as MAX light rail put on backburner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511094212/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-02/perth-morley-railway-line-mooted-max-light-rail-loses-favour/7133270 |date=11 May 2016 }} ABC News 2 February 2016

In June 2016 the government confirmed that the MAX light rail plan had been cancelled. While still planning a northern transport corridor, Transport Minister Dean Nalder said it would not be implemented using light rail and instead would use other alternatives.{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Andrew |title=Perth MAX Light Rail promise abandoned by WA Government in long-term transport plan |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-21/government-confirms-max-light-rail-abandoned/7529756 |date=21 June 2016 |access-date=21 June 2016 |archive-date=21 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621095923/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-21/government-confirms-max-light-rail-abandoned/7529756 |url-status=live }}

{ "type": "ExternalData",

"service": "page",

"title": "MAX Light Rail (Perth).map"}

The first stage of the MAX network was to run from the Polytechnic West campus in Balga, in Perth's northern suburbs, to the Perth CBD, with spur lines from the CBD to the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre in Nedlands and to the eastern end of the Causeway in Victoria Park.{{cite news|last=Trenwith |first=Courtney |title=A 'bold' light rail system to 'transform' Perth |url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/a-bold-light-rail-system-to-transform-perth-revealed-20120902-2580w.html |access-date=3 September 2012 |newspaper=watoday |date=2 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904013853/http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/a-bold-light-rail-system-to-transform-perth-revealed-20120902-2580w.html |archive-date=4 September 2012 }}

{{clear}}

{{Portal|Transport}}

• Trams in Fremantle
• Trams in Australia

{{Reflist|2}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |author=Brimson, Samuel |title=The Tramways of Australia |publisher=Dreamweaver Books |year=1983 |isbn=0-949825-01-8 }}
• {{cite book | last1 = Campbell | first1 = Bob | title = Getting there by Tram in Western Australia | publisher = Perth Electric Tramway Society Inc | year = 1999 | location = Mt Lawley, WA | isbn = 0646-38447-3}}
• {{cite book | last1 = Culpeffer-Cooke | first1 = Tony | last2 = Gunzburg | first2 = Adrian | last3 = Pleydell | first3 = Ian | title = Tracks by the Swan: The Electric Tram and Trolleybus Era of Perth, Western Australia | publisher = Perth Electric Tramway Society Inc | year = 2010 | location = Mt Lawley, WA | isbn = 978-0-9807577-0-5}}
• {{cite book |last1 = Jones |first1 = Colin |title=Watch for Trams |publisher=Kangaroo Press |location=Kenthurst, N.S.W |year=1993 |isbn=0-86417-544-2}}

{{refend}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120904232410/http://www.max.wa.gov.au/ MAX] – official site
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120917203244/http://www.perthlightrail.org/ Perth Light Rail] – a coalition lobbying for the introduction of light rail to Perth

{{Perth public transport}}

{{TramsAustralia}}

{{coord missing|Western Australia}}

Category:Light rail in Australia

Category:Public transport in Perth, Western Australia

Perth Max