Call for eastern suburbs to be included in population planning

WA Greens Member for East Metropolitan Region Alison Xamon has called on the Government to provide additional public transport infrastructure to the eastern suburbs.
“The population growth figures released this week make it clear that the eastern suburbs’ already inadequate public transport services will not cope with greater demand,” Ms Xamon said.
“Kalamunda in particular is a quite isolated community with an ageing population, and two years ago the Government pulled bus services from the town.
“There is a desperate need to reinstate these bus routes and to urgently provide additional services.
“The Government’s public transport record has not been good for these communities.”
Ms Xamon said much of the discussion about population growth and the need for more public transport had focused on the far northern and southern suburbs.
However, the existing communities in Kalamunda, as well as Roleystone and the surrounding suburbs contained elderly residents and those with a high vulnerability to petrol price rises.
“Yes, the population is increasing, but not only in the north and south,” Ms Xamon said.
“We have existing populations in the eastern suburbs and they need adequate public transport.
“There’s no way what they have is adequate.”
The airport light rail link was another public infrastructure project that needed to be progressed as a matter of urgency.
“The community is begging for the airport light rail link to be extended to link into the existing rail network,” Ms Xamon said.
“This proposed link would be excellent for the eastern suburbs - if it happened.
“At the moment residents could be excused for believing it to be little more than a nebulous, unfunded plan.”