Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH city council says it can’t wait until 2050 to get an inner-city subway.

The Barnett government included the idea in its recent metropolitan transport plan, but it’s not slated for construction until Perth’s population hits 3.5 million.

But the council says that’s too long, and in a submission approved by its planning committee earlier this week, says it’s prepared to negotiate over inner-city density targets if it can be bought forward.

The submission also requests an overhaul of the metropolitan bus network and more ferry routes, and opposes plans for an east-west traffic tunnel link between Canning Highway and Mounts Bay Road because it would interfere with plans to expand the convention centre and bring more traffic to East Perth.

The submission will need endorsement from the full council before being mailed off.