A new Transport one-stop-shop has opened in the Mid-West, with Main Roads and the Department of Transport (DoT) opening the doors to their new facility.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti was on hand to officially open the $14 million purpose-built facility located on Eastward Road, Wonthella.
The co-location of the two agencies provides the opportunity to improve collaboration between the portfolio partners, reduce combined office accommodation expenses and provides a one-stop-shop for Main Roads and DoT customers in the Mid-West.
The existing Main Roads office was redeveloped by regional contractor Crothers Construction who completed the new premises in June 2022. More than 250 local jobs were created during the construction phase of the project.
The 1800 square metre facility includes a new Transport Service Centre with 11 customer service counters, 84 open plan work stations, eight meeting and conference rooms, more than 100 parking bays for staff and visitors, and infrastructure for the provision of EV charging stations.
The building has been designed to be energy efficient and incorporates a host of environmentally friendly design initiatives to reduce long-term operating costs and provide a more sustainable building.
Some of these initiatives include a 30 kilowatt solar array to supply the building with energy estimated to save approximately $15,000 per year, as well as water and energy saving fixtures estimated to improve water efficiency by 20 per cent.
The new facility will provide all of the services that Main Roads and DoT previously provided in the region, including the delivery of licensing, maritime and transport functions.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
“This is an amazing new facility that will provide critical services to the Geraldton and Mid-West community for many years to come.
“The new facility will be a one-stop-shop for all transport services for Geraldton and the Mid-West including licensing, maritime and transport functions.
“We invested $14 million to build this new facility, and the co-location of both Main Roads and the Department of Transport will provide opportunities to better collaborate on important transport projects and services in Geraldton and the Mid-West.”
As stated by Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton:
“The delivery of this $14 million facility is a fantastic outcome for the people of Geraldton, and will allow for better collaboration between State Government agencies on key transport issues in our region.
“I have advocated strongly for improved services in our region, and with a brand new Transport Service Centre, including 11 new customer service desks, this new facility will deliver better outcomes for our community.”
