Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

We hear a lot in this place about the Morrison government's commitment to busting congestion, so let me take a moment to explain why this is so important. It's because time spent sitting in traffic is far better spent either at work being productive or at home with friends and family relaxing after a long day's work. Trackless tram is the vision of the City of Stirling, led by Mayor Mark Irwin, whom I congratulate on his re-election over the weekend.

The City of Stirling is the largest local government area by population in Western Australia, with 220,000 residents. Over the next 30 years, this population is predicted to grow by 50 per cent. There are already 3,709 vehicles using Scarborough Beach Road every hour, and during peak hour that number accelerates to 5,000 vehicles per hour. Thankfully, the City of Stirling identified this problem early on and for the last decade has been championing the trackless tram project. At stage 1, the federal government has already committed $65 million to the Stephenson Avenue Road Network development, with the state also contributing $60 million. Stage 2 of the plan is to deliver trackless tram from the new Stirling City Centre to the iconic Scarborough Beach along Scarborough Beach Road. It will also link in with heavy rail at Glendalough station.

A trackless tram is neither a train nor a bus. It looks like a train but uses electric propulsion and rubber wheels. It's half the weight of a bus, has no carbon or noise emissions, can recharge fully in 10 minutes and, importantly, can transport up to 250 people in three carriages per journey. This is ground-breaking technology that has the potential to transform the way we commute. It will unlock development potential along Scarborough Beach Road, enabling mixed use business and housing hubs.

As those at the City of Stirling say, this is a big, bold vision. As we know, the Morrison government also has a big, bold vision of busting congestion, and I, and my neighbouring colleague the member for Curtin, believe in this vision and we are committed to seeing it become a reality. Working along with the City of Stirling, we aim to deliver trackless tram for the many thousands of residents who are set to benefit from this exciting project.

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