The Western Australian government has announced it will invest 107 million-dollars to expand Perth's Swan River ferry network, if re-elected in March. The plan would see five new electric ferries built to service new stops at Applecross and Matilda Bay.
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00:00Announcing his government's first election commitment of the year, the Premier has dubbed
00:07the ferry expansion the Metronet on the Swan.
00:12Our ferry plans will show that not only can we build trains and have great bus services
00:17in Western Australia, that we will be able to extend that to our great iconic Swan River.
00:23The five new locally manufactured electric ferries will be around 25 metres long and
00:28cruise at 20 knots, meaning a trip from Applecross to UWA would take about 10 minutes.
00:33It will cut about 30 minutes of your travel time to UWA if you're a student here in the
00:38southern suburbs, so it's a great opportunity to really just not only activate our great
00:44river, but also to continue to supplement and build upon our great public transport
00:49system.
00:50While sailing clubs have warned a terminal at Matilda Bay would be dangerous for river
00:54users and could force them to close, the State's Transport Minister is confident they
00:59can co-exist.
01:01Around Australia, around the world, public transport or ferry networks have co-existed
01:06with other activities.
01:08Other ferry stops being considered include Burswood Park, Perth Stadium and Claysbrook
01:13Cove.
01:14But the opposition believes the state government has its priorities wrong.
01:18The pressing need across the transport policy across Western Australia is not the ferry
01:25system, it is not the Swan River, it is in the freight network.
01:30The new ferry services are set to operate by 2027.