Capital Metro - First link to cost $614 million

Minister Simon Corbell and ESD Capital metro acting project Director Glenn Bain have been subjected to questioning on Capital Metro costs in an Assembly estimates committee hearing.

Out of the questioning a few key pieces of information have emerged:

• The total cost of the Capital Metro program will be $614 million
• $200 million has been set aside to relocate utilities along Northbourne Avenue (the UBS report said 3-4% of project cost)
• $54.5 million for trackwork (teh ABC says $100 million).
• $27 million for stations
• $11 million for each vehicle (the ABC says a dozen vehicles will cost $55 million)
• $7 million for annual operating costs
• A park and Ride may be built in Mtchell
• A light rail/bus interchange could be built where  the Dickson Motor Vehicle registry is located.
• An engineering study has been completed.

When Hansard is available I will correct the figures. 

It is fortunate that the Opposition has been able to elicit this information. ACT Light Rail met with Glenn Bain some time ago and advised that the government needed a communications strategy to keep the Canberra public informed on progress.

The media have reported this here at the Canberra Times and ABC News online.

Please visit the ACT Light Rail facebook page for more frequent updates on Light Rail in Canberra