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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-12-01 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Ethelton Railway Station

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:48): I move:

That the 12th report of the committee, entitled 'Ethelton Railway Station platforms replacement project', be noted.

Consideration is being sought from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport for the replacement of two railway platforms at the Ethelton Railway Station located on the Outer Harbor line. One platform services the city-bound track while the other services the Outer Harbor-bound track. The station is the 10th of 20 stations on the Outer Harbor rail line and is located approximately 13 kilometres from the Adelaide Railway Station.

Ethelton is the third highest patronised station on the Outer Harbor rail line with around 60,000 passenger boardings per year. This comprises an average of 200 passenger boardings each weekday and 85 each day on weekends. The station dates back to 1916, with the existing platforms built in 1960 from old railway tracks. The platforms' iron frames have rusted over time and the platform decks have seen concrete break away from the internal reinforcing in several places. The decks are currently supported using timber, plywood and scaffolding. The proposed public works aim to demolish the existing platforms, which have clearly reached the end of their asset life, and replace them using an improved, more inclusive platform design.

The Outer Harbor rail line has a monthly average of 447 assisted boardings, which involve the manual deployment of a ramp. This number is one of the highest on the network. To reduce the need for manual ramp deployment at the station, the new platforms will be wider and raised to a height that aligns with train doors. The platforms will also be fitted with new access ramps. These improvements will provide all commuters with a safer, more dignified access to train services.

The wider platforms will ensure that the station complies with the standards set by the Adelaide Metropolitan Passenger Rail Network, while the new access ramps allow the station to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. In this regard, these works are expected to support service reliability, with more passengers able to access trains unassisted.

No land acquisition is required for the project, with the works taking place within the existing Outer Harbor rail line corridor on land owned by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. The total estimated capital costs are $5.38 million. The costs are expected to be refined as part of the detailed design and procurement stages. Any additional funding will be subject to state approval.

The committee will be notified of any changes to the approved budget once all approvals have been received. Construction is scheduled to commence in early 2023, with completion in late 2023. A tender call for the construct-only contract is anticipated in the first quarter of 2023. The Department for Infrastructure and Transport confirms that procurement will be undertaken in accordance with the state government's procurement management framework and will comply with South Australian government guidelines. The project is expected to support approximately 20 full-time equivalent jobs over the construction period.

In preparation for these works, the department has devised an overarching community and stakeholder engagement strategy. Stakeholders will include residents and landowners impacted by the project, public transport users, nearby businesses, the appropriate state and federal members of parliament, and the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

Communication plans will be refined as project-specific details and impacts develop. The department confirms that the stakeholder engagement will continue throughout the delivery of the project to keep passengers and the community informed. Once the design is complete and the successful contractor has proposed their construction methodology, steps will be taken to align any required rail closures with other works on the Outer Harbor line to minimise passenger disruptions. When train services are affected, substitute buses will be available.

The department will work in collaboration with local council to implement measures to reduce the impact on motorists. Traffic management plans will be developed by the successful contractor, including the exact timing of when works will be undertaken. This will be monitored throughout construction to ensure traffic delays are minimised as much as practically possible. The project will be assessed and managed in accordance with the department's environment and heritage impact assessment processes and guidelines. The department confirms the appropriate consultation has occurred, including with the Department of Treasury and Finance.

The committee has examined written and oral evidence in relation to the Ethelton Railway Station platform's replacement project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Brian Roche, Acting Executive Director of Project Delivery, Department for Infrastructure and Transport, and David Waltham, Delivery Manager, Rail Projects, Department for Infrastructure and Transport. On behalf of the committee, I thank the witnesses for their time in presenting the project to the committee.

Based on the evidence considered, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (11:53): We know that the Ethelton Railway Station is, in fact, the 10th of 20 various stations on the Outer Harbor rail line and it is located only about 13 kilometres or so from the Adelaide Railway Station. The existing platforms there are certainly life expired. We saw that the railway iron frame is somewhat rusty and that the concrete is breaking away from the rusted internal reinforcing, which is occurring in several locations along various platforms.

This station is the third highest of the stations on the Outer Harbor rail line in terms of patronage, and that is based on data in August 2022, with around something like 60,000 passenger boardings each and every year. That makes up an average of 200 passenger boardings each weekday and about 85 each day on weekends. This project will definitely improve passenger safety and experience, by replacing what are life-expired platforms with new platforms. The government has committed $5 million for the Ethelton station platforms replacement project.

As we heard, the project will replace the current railway platforms—these comprise iron frames and also decks made out of concrete—with new steel frames and concrete decks as well. The proposed scope of the works, as we have heard, includes replacing those platforms and also replacing access ramps. This will lead to the platforms meeting the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, which is very important. It is important that we make these things as inclusive and as accessible as possible, and the state will certainly reap the benefits of increased usage across the board.

There will also be a review and an upgrade of LED lighting on the platforms, if required, which is very important from a security point of view as well. It is important that people feel safe when they are using public transport along this stretch. The current station shelters are new and they will be retained.

I thank the committee for its good work. I thank the witnesses for their contributions and all the staff who have been involved, not only in their presentations but also in contributing to this upgrade. I commend the report to the house.

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (11:56): I rise to make a very short contribution. I do so as a daily user of the Ethelton train station when parliament is sitting. It is great to see that body of work that is going to happen. It is quite a primitive station, and the access for people with disabilities leaves a lot to be desired. In doing the modifications, it would be great to have some shelter from the rain. There is a shelter there, but it is totally exposed to the prevailing winds. Some shelter from the rain for the people who patiently wait for the train would be absolutely fantastic.

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:57): I would like to thank members for their contribution. I would like to thank the member for Hartley for his words. It is always good to hear from users of our infrastructure, so it was very good to hear from the member for Giles as well. I would like to thank the members of the committee for the way that they considered the particular project. Again, I place on record the fact that this has been a very collegial committee, at least so far, and has functioned extremely well.

An honourable member: Well chaired.

Mr BROWN: I cannot say it is solely due to the Chair; I want to thank the members for the way that they have gone about their work.

An honourable member: Just mostly.

Mr BROWN: Just mostly—okay. Well, perhaps just mostly due to the Chair, but the members are actually making a very good contribution and they are very good members indeed. With that, I recommend the report to the house.

Motion carried.

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