Transit Oriented Development for Shire of Kalamunda?
The Shire of Kalamunda is continuing to pursue the plan of a rail link within the Foothills. The concept of constructing a suburban rail service that utilises the medians of the Tonkin and Roe Highways has been well received at Officer Level at the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
The rail proposal will provide an opportunity to develop Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in the Forrestfield, Maida Vale and High Wycombe localities. The proposal is to link Kalamunda via the future Perth International / Domestic Airport to Bayswater and the Perth CBD. This is a hot topic within the Shire of Kalamunda, since the Shire first developed the proposal. Strong support for the rail link is growing in the community.
Shire of Kalamunda Chief Executive Officer, James Trail, said, “I believe that the construction of the proposed rail link, TOD and development opportunities are aligned to the State Government’s Network City Metropolitan Planning Strategy for Perth and Peel. TOD aims to locate vibrant, mixed use communities near train stations and high-frequency bus routes. Transit Oriented Developments could be located in the vicinity of the rail stations and that would accommodate a large proportion of the population and employment targets that have been set by the WAPC in terms of Network City, for the Shire of Kalamunda.”
“The Shire of Kalamunda currently lacks access to rail transport as it falls between the Perth - Midland line and the Perth - Armadale line. Access to rail transport would not only help to alleviate the rising costs of fuel, the proposal could provide some relief for staff parking at the new Perth Airport and residential opportunities for airport and industry employees and increase the ability of current residents to access public transport” he said.
"Transit Oriented Development makes transport convenient and less expensive than the private car. It also encourages dynamic communities with a rich mix of housing types, employment, retail, services, education and leisure. People living in or near a TOD have most things they need nearby; there is less need to travel outside their local area, and when they do they can get to most destinations for less cost, and without the greenhouse emissions associated with private vehicle transport."
The Shire of Kalamunda is located to the east of the airport and is currently relatively poorly served by public transport facilities and does not link well into the Midland or Armadale train lines.
The rail link would also provide parts of the Cities of Belmont and Swan with access to rail transport. The Shire of Kalamunda could have three stations in Forrestfield, near Sultana Road in Maida Vale and near the Kalamunda Road / Roe Highway intersection.