Opposite sides of the track: light rail campaigners square off
ACT Light Rail Deputy Chair Ian Ruecroft (left) Dr John Smith (right)
Canberra Times photograph
Long before construction begins on tram tracks linking the city and
Gungahlin, Canberra's light rail line has already divided public opinion
and established a key policy fight for the 2016 election.
After decades of debate about the best public transport options for the
capital, two opinion makers from opposite sides of the fight visited the
proposed location for a Northbourne Avenue terminus at Alinga Street to
share their views.
The meeting comes as The Canberra Times invites readers to give
their opinions on the ACT Government's signature $780 million
infrastructure project in a new online survey, ahead of the release of
the project's business case on October 31.
Light Rail for Canberra supporter and ACT Light Rail deputy chair Ian Ruecroft and www.CanTheTram.org
moderator John Smith are among many Canberrans using websites, social
media and public events to argue the merits of the tram line.
Dr Smith, a public transport expert who distributes printed flyers and
regularly pens letters to the editor, said basing light rail on the
Transport for Canberra 2012-2031 plan was a flawed approach.
"The implicit problem with trams is that Canberra commuters travel long distances, thus requiring express services," he said.
"Trams do not overtake, so the proposed service between Gungahlin and
Civic is neither express nor local, but a compromise that is unlikely to
satisfy anyone. The only solution will be to have alternative express
bus services."
Arguing Canberra's best public transport development happened when
patronage peaked between 1975 and 1985, Dr Smith called for technology
including vehicle locations systems, wireless networking and computer
controls to replace simplistic planning tools.
"The [bus] network was based on frequent inter-town express services,
with frequent feeder services from the suburbs that were guaranteed
connection.
"Light rail could be the basis for inter-town express services, but it
is not needed for the present population and, when it is needed, heavy
rail is likely to be the preferred option," he said.
"Rather than developing very high-density infill along corridors, most
Canberrans would prefer to see medium-density infill more widely spread,
in harmony with the present town-centre, secondary node and
suburban-centre urban hierarchy."
Mr Ruecroft, a Gungahlin resident and one of about 200 members of the
Light Rail for Canberra Facebook group, said trams represented the best
way to maximise public transport use and it was time for the city to
commit.
He advocates for park and ride facilities alongside fast and effective tram services.
"This is the time that we need to do something visionary with public
transport, and light rail actually gives us something for the future."
He said recent road infrastructure projects built in Canberra including
the Gungahlin Drive Extension had struggled to keep up with population
growth, and that the government's proposal would serve the city for
decades.
Construction of the 12-kilometre line is due to begin by mid-2016 with
services to commence by 2020 and Mr Ruecroft said it would benefit both
ends of the city.
"Gungahlin is going to be a town roughly the same population as Tuggeranong," he said.
"Where is the shopping centre the same as other places? You need to have
a decent shopping centre and to build it you need light rail as a
catalyst."
"Light rail should be looked at more like heavy rail, but not carrying
goods. It shouldn't have a stop everywhere that is convenient for people
to get on, it should be an express with buses radiating out from the
line and major park and rides in place for people to use," he said.
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