Mayors lobby PM on Outer Harbour

Four mayors including Kwinana's Carol Adams have decided to go straight to the top and have written a letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking him to consider diverting funds from the proposed Perth Freight Link to the Kwinana Outer Harbour.

Cr Adams said the joint letter with Cockburn, Fremantle and East Fremantle mayors was written with the belief there was a small window of opportunity to influence the decision on where the funding should end up.

"We are hoping that we can encourage Mr Turnbull to stop, take a breath and a good look at everything," she said. "The Outer Harbour plan has solutions - it can provide long-term growth for our area and jobs in a whole range of industry.

"Investing in our plan will result in nation-building infrastructure and 50 years worth of employment as opposed to the three-and-a-half that will be provided by the freight link."

The letter discusses how Fremantle and Melville residents support diverting the funding because they are affected by existing freight movements and how the high unemployment rates of Armadale, Kwinana, Rockingham and Mandurah could improve substantially from the change.

Cr Adams said the region needed a strong economic driver and the PFL did not represent good value for money.

"This is a logical project and a better way to spend Federal funding," she said.

Cr Adams understands the Prime Minister receives a large number of letters each day, but hopes having four local governments united on the issue might help him take notice of their concerns.

"We are urging the Commonwealth Government to support the State Government in retaining the funding for the PFL but set aside its agreed use until the Outer Harbour project can be examined in more detail," she said.