00:00A long-awaited moment.
00:04WA's premier among the first passengers to ride the 15-kilometre railway extension covering
00:11three new train stations in Perth's north, Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchip.
00:18We promised the people of this area that we would extend the line to Yanchip and today
00:24we are very happy to say mission accomplished.
00:27While passengers travelled for free on Sunday, the ride didn't come cheap.
00:32The project's price tag has more than doubled since it was first announced, costing the
00:38government more than $1 billion and opening almost two years later than promised.
00:44Worth every cent, according to the Transport Minister.
00:48To be able to deliver this type of infrastructure means Western Australia and Perth is well
00:53placed to continue to be the most liveable city in the nation.
00:58It will take 49 minutes to travel between the furthest station, Yanchip, and Perth,
01:04with the extension expected to serve 150,000 future residents.
01:09Now that it's built up and we're getting the railway in, I think it's going to do good
01:14things and bring good people out here as well.
01:16New data shows more than half of Perth's population don't have access to decent public transport.
01:23Experts say more trains are part of the solution, but they're also calling for an end to Perth's
01:28urban sprawl.
01:29Our city is too long, it's 150 kilometres long.
01:35That's one of the worst in the world.
01:36You've got to build around the stations to make that work.
01:39You've got to have people living close by and we haven't done that enough in Metronet.
01:47Another major rail project connecting Ellenbrook and Morley is due to finish later this year.
01:53For more information, visit www.fema.gov
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