The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has said it is doing everything it can to mitigate Metronet-associated issues experienced by small businesses and residents in Midland.

The PTA, Metronet, Midland Junction Alliance (MJA), City of Swan, and Development WA were all contacted for comment regarding last week’s story Bar owner’s Metronet Misery, (Echo News, March 15) detailing the Commercial Bar and Kitchen’s experience with the new Midland train station construction.

PTA spokesperson David Hynes said the PTA worked hard to minimise disruption to all businesses in the Midland area.

“With respect to the Commercial Bar and Kitchen, a number of meetings between the owners and the project team leads have been held, as well as with the project’s alliance director,” he said.

For the Midland Station project the PTA has said it’s conducted 972 visits to businesses, two community information sessions, 61 presentations to business, six community reference group meetings, and more than 60 separate meetings with businesses and residents since the project moved into the delivery stage.

“We acknowledge the issues raised by the owners of the Commercial Bar and Kitchen and we have moved to address them as quickly as possible.

“We will continue to make every effort to minimise works that impact on local businesses and to hold subcontractors accountable for delivering their works safely,” Mr Hynes said.

On Tuesday, contractors were seen on Railway Parade addressing some of the issues Mr Bartholomew had raised in last week’s story, including remediating brick paving which had been left unfinished.

City of Swan Mayor Tanya Richardson said the city had made an active effort to collaborate with Metronet and the involved organisations to improve outcomes for residents and address feedback from ratepayers.

She said the city was aware of the concerns of lack of communication and accountability shared by local businesses and residents.
“The city has met with the MJA to discuss these concerns and are satisfied they are working appropriately to address customer concerns and minimise disruption as much as is possible for a project of this complexity,” she said.

Despite this, concerns remain in Midland due to how small businesses and residents were affected by Metronet’s Bayswater station project.
In Parliament this week, the Opposition leader Shane Love asked Transport Minister Rita Saffioti why the Bayswater project continued to cost more money each year than the government thought it would.

“As I said, the cost of everything we are building in the state has increased,” Ms Saffioti said.

“Some of the complexities of the project continue to exist.

“That includes increases in labour costs, materials and equipment, the bridge structure, civil and civic works and the rail system work.”
Ms Saffioti said costs for building infrastructure have increased, not just in WA but across the country and noted Victoria’s North East link project cost $10 billion more than planned.

“The cost of delivering infrastructure has increased. It is beyond what anybody expected. That is the reality,” she said.
When asked by Mr Love how much money used on the Bayswater project was being spent on compensation to businesses and locals, Ms Saffioti said she did not have that information on hand.

However, as of October 8 of last year, Ms Saffioti said the government had spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on compensation to Bayswater businesses and residents.