The McGowan government is defending the slow progress on the Forrestfield-Airport rail link, citing pandemic-related materials shortages and work safety protocols as reasons for the delay.

The first trains were originally meant to start in late 2020 but were delayed to this year, now services won’t begin until the first half of next year.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti told Oliver Peterson the have been “significant issues in relation to the tunnel.”

“Those rectification works required specialist material from overseas.

“And that material ended up being very late.

“It was always going to be a challenging project.”

There is still no specific date as to when the first trains will run, with Minister Saffioti saying they’re in “final negotiations” with the contractor.

“Once we get the project we have a period of six to eight weeks of commissioning,” she said.

“I hope it’s early next year but we’ve given ourselves a time frame of the first half of next year.”

Press PLAY to hear Minister Saffioti defend the delays: