As part of the METRONET program, and to allow the Public Transport Authority to connect the Mandurah and Armadale train lines between Thornlie and Cockburn train stations, ATCO must relocate some of its key gas pipelines  currently within the rail corridor.

Significant work has been undertaken to understand the best, most efficient and least disruptive route, which involves laying new pipelines, predominantly in the Jandakot area.

The areas that will be impacted by the new pipeline relocations for METRONET are predominantly Jandakot, Glen Iris, South Lake and localised areas of Gosnells near the rail crossings.

View a detailed map of the project area above.

ATCO is expected to commence works progressively from Q3 2020, initially with pipeline relocation works at both Ranford Road rail bridge and along Pilatus Street from Berrigan Drive to Karel Avenue.

Around November 2020, ATCO is expected to commence the installation of a new pipeline along Jandakot Road from Warton Road to the rail corridor west of Kwinana Freeway through Jandakot and South Lake.

From late Q4 2020 to Q2 2021 ATCO is expected to install the rail crossing pipeline relocations at Nicholson Road, Elliot Place and Mordaunt Court.

In most cases, we will work on weekdays between 7 am and 7 pm, and possibly some works to be completed on weekends if needed. There are some areas that may require works at night. ATCO will endeavour to minimise the noise at night time by restricting the use of certain equipment.  However, we will undertake less noisy work at night where possible, to ensure we complete our project as quickly as possible.

If you live or work along the project route you may encounter traffic delays and some noise.

More detail will be provided to those impacted as work becomes imminent.

Our process involves using a combination of open trenches and trenchless technology to relocate and install gas mains. To begin, our contractor will perform an initial review to make sure the plans for the new mains are suitable and excavation can be done safely. This process can take a few days and it may not look like much is happening onsite. Rest assured this part of the process is factored into our schedules.

This method also greatly reduces the time needed to complete works as well as reduces the impact to pedestrians, road users and businesses in the area as this allows all works in one area to be completed at one time with no prolonged disturbances.

Excavations will still be required in the footpaths to get the pipes underground, however traffic controllers will be onsite to ensure pedestrians can move safely around the area.

We appreciate that construction can involve noisy work, including road cutting, excavating and compacting; however we will do everything we can to reduce the noise of the works when operating close to business premises and homes.

We’ll be doing the noisier work weekdays 7 am – 7 pm and less noisy work after hours where possible to minimise disturbances and get the projects finished as quickly as we can.

For the safety of workers, residents and road users, some roads will be temporarily closed while work is taking place. In these cases, notice will be given beforehand and traffic management will be put in place.

There will be fencing around areas of the immediate works sites but these will move along the project route with the project teams and once the reinstatements are complete.

No, there will be no planned interruptions to gas supply as a result of these works. 

ATCO is required to relocate our existing high-pressure pipeline out of the rail corridor and replace it by constructing and commissioning a new high-pressure pipeline to ensure a continuous, safe and reliable supply of natural gas to the community.

Pipe replacement work means we are required to dig open the ground to access pipes, valves and pits. This results in unavoidable impact to public areas such as roads, verges, and footpaths and sometimes to private property such as driveways and verges.

We are committed to returning areas affected by our work to as close to their original condition as reasonably feasible. We work closely with local councils and affected property owners to try to meet restoration expectations wherever possible.

The time needed in a certain section of the route will vary but it is anticipated that works will not affect any one area for any longer than one month. 

We are committed to returning all areas affected by our work to as close to their original condition as reasonably feasible. Unfortunately, it is impossible to replace a well-established lawn to its original condition immediately after it has been excavated. However, we will put materials and resources in place so that the lawn returns to its original condition as quickly as possible. Please note that lawn restorations are dependent upon existing soil conditions, watering, rainfall, and garden maintenance.

All areas that are covered predominately with lawn, will be replaced with roll-on lawn. The contractor will work with you to understand what lawn was pre-existing and endeavour to replace it with the same type of lawn.

Please note that roll-on lawn is subject to availability. If you would like a particular type of lawn, you may have to wait for this lawn to become available.

As all roll-on lawn needs to be given time to spread and grow, the new lawn will not immediately look as it did prior to the work. 

We appreciate that many people put a lot of time, effort, and money into making verges and gardens look good. If any lawn, trees, or plants need to be removed or if any landscaping or sprinklers are damaged from our work, they will be restored or replaced.

We take photos of all work areas before any construction work begins. However, if you have particular questions or concerns about the variety of vegetation to be replanted please contact us directly via constructionenquiries@atco.com.

When our work causes damage to a private driveway, we will repair and/or replace where appropriate.

We will fix the section of the driveway that we have damaged only and will not replace the whole footpath or driveway. This means that sometimes the colour of the concrete or material may be different from the colour of the original material. This is because the original material has faded due to the sun and weather. The new material we use will fade over time.

Sometimes due to product availability, intricate materials, or colours and patterns used, exact matches to existing driveways may not always be achievable. In these situations, we will discuss all available options with you before proceeding with any final restoration work.

During excavation, it is possible that we may accidentally break or damage your property. If this is the case, we will replace or repair the property in consultation with you. This includes broken reticulation, sprinklers, pavers, fences, and driveways.

Reasonably feasible means we use a sensible standard of judgement to determine that an area has been successfully restored to as close to its original condition as practically possible.

It is judged according to what is known and relevant and balances multiple factors, such as the complexity of the area damaged, the availability of specialised materials, the likelihood of achieving a quality finish, and time allowances for new vegetation to become established.

Depending on the nature of the work, it is not always practical or cost-effective for our work crews or contractors to complete a comprehensive restoration before leaving the work area.

This could be for a number of reasons, such as not having the right equipment on-hand or needing to access the area again. In this situation, we will ensure we leave the worksite safe and functional, but it may not look the way it did before the work began. This is known as temporary restoration and someone will return to complete the final restoration to restore the area as close as possible and reasonably feasible to its previous condition.

If you are concerned about the time it is taking for a comprehensive restoration, please contact us directly on constructionenquiries@atco.com. 

To find out more about the Thornlie Cockburn Link Project click here.

To find out more about METRONET click here.