Metronet Infrastructure Funding Bill Sets 2027 Start for Perth Rail Works

The Western Australian parliament passed the Metronet Infrastructure Funding Bill on 2 July. The legislation channels a fixed share of iron ore royalties into completing the remaining Metronet rail extensions across the Perth metropolitan area. Residents in the eastern and southern suburbs are the first groups named in the rollout schedule.

The bill follows the release of the 2025-26 state budget papers, which recorded continued surpluses from resource revenues. Those papers also noted ongoing federal payments tied to AUKUS submarine contracts and critical minerals processing facilities in the Pilbara. The combination has given the state government a clearer forward revenue line for transport projects without new borrowing.

Daily travel changes for Perth households

Commuters on the Midland and Armadale lines will face temporary bus replacements and weekend closures once earthworks begin in the first quarter of 2027. Local advocates note that households near the new Byford extension will gain a direct service to Perth CBD once the line opens, cutting current drive times that often exceed 45 minutes in peak periods. Parents dropping children at schools along the route can expect altered drop-off zones and additional parking restrictions during the two-year construction window.

The legislation states that the first 8 kilometres of track duplication must be finished by December 2028. Policy analysts say this timeline matches the state government’s published Metronet program schedule, which already lists 72 kilometres of new or upgraded track across six corridors.

Next steps in the rollout

Contract tenders for the next packages close in September 2026. The government says the first public notices of road closures and service changes will appear on the Metronet website by November this year. Residents can register for suburb-specific alerts through the same portal.