Light rail will attract new public transport users

Politicians in Perth have understood the issues, and addressed them. Perhaps the ACT Government might find some courage to come up with a funding model for light rail in the ACT.

If the ACT Government is serious about increasing public transport patronage - they already know what the solution is. It is not a bus-only network.

Read this article 'Light rail will attract new public transport users' in the West Australian.

Some brief excerpts:


Light rail has proved, well documented benefits that far outweigh other public transport options.


Light rail gets people out of cars and creates new public transport users. It is flexible and efficient because it has the ability to combine the benefits of on-street accessibility but is faster and more reliable than buses.


But it is not just a vehicle for moving people, it is a transportation mode that transforms the physical form of the city and revitalises underdeveloped areas.


Investment in light rail networks stimulates investment and has been demonstrated to reduce vacancy rates, increase residential property values and increase the profitability of businesses located along its route.


In Portland, Oregon, $3.5 billion worth of investment within two blocks of its streetcar route has taken place. More than 10,200 new housing units were built and 5.4 million square feet of commercial space constructed within two blocks of the light rail.

Similar results have been achieved in Manchester, Bordeaux and in Dallas. Businesses located near the Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail starter line experienced a jump of nearly 33 per cent in retail sales in one year, compared with just 3 per cent elsewhere in the city.