City objects to bus tunnel

The City of Perth is unlikely to support plans for a "congestion-busting" bus tunnel under Wellington Street, saying it is based on flawed and exaggerated modelling and will undermine the vision for the area.

The tunnel will be a second entry to the future Perth underground busport. Its entrance will be in the centre of Wellington Street with two traffic lanes either side.

In announcing the $20 million plan in August, Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the tunnel would improve congestion through the city by taking 60 buses an hour off the roads.

But a report provided to the City's planning committee said the benefits of a second busport entrance had been exaggerated because the number of buses that used Wellington, Milligan and William streets were not high.

It said the traffic modelling that underpinned the plan had significant flaws and had not considered the implications of a future light-rail service.

The report said the intent of the Perth City Link Project was to remove transport infrastructure barriers and to reconnect the CBD with Northbridge for the first time in 100 years.

But the proposed, concrete tunnel entrance would undermine this vision and create an unattractive, vehicle-dominated entry to Yagan Square.

It would also undermine plans to create "an attractive, pedestrian-focused, tree-lined boulevard along Wellington Street".

Spokesman David Hynes said the PTA stood by its bus and passenger modelling.

"The Wellington Street entrance to the busport is an important piece of infrastructure that will reduce congestion and benefit motorists, pedestrians and public transport users," he said.

Final approval with the tunnel rests with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, but it has asked the City for its opinion.

At its meeting on Tuesday, the committee recommended the City not support the plan, unless the PTA provided evidence to back-up some of its claims.