Premier Mark McGowan and transport minister Rita Saffioti have opened a new train station at Aubin Grove, north of Mandurah, with the first train pulling out at 10.56am on Sunday.
Mr McGowan said the government was anticipating almost 4000 boardings each day at Aubin Grove, which is located between the Cockburn Central and Kwinana stations on the Mandurah Line.
He said the station had been planned by Labor when it was last in government, but acknowledged former Premier Colin Barnett for his support for the project.
“Living in Rockingham I know personally how badly this station is needed to service the growing southern suburbs and that’s why we first committed to the construction of this station in 2012,” he said.
“I would like to acknowledge the previous government and former Premier Colin Barnett’s commitment to this project and for following through with its delivery.”
The combined cost of the Aubin Grove road and rail project is $125 million, including $20 million in Federal funding for the Russell Road upgrade.
In 2015 Mr McGowan promised to build a new train station at Karnup to take pressure off Mandurah’s busy station, and to work with the community to develop a plan by the Shire of Murray for light rail linking Mandurah to Pinjarra.
Mr McGowan said 17 full-time jobs have been created by the new Aubin Grove station, including four passenger ticketing assistants, nine transit officers and four rail drivers.
According to government figures, 100 local jobs were created during the construction phase.
Ms Saffioti thanked passengers who use the Mandurah line for their patience during the construction.
For information on how the new station will affect travel times on the Mandurah line, go to transperth.wa.gov.au.