The long awaited Light Rail Master Plan has been released in draft form, with comment open until December. It is a visionary document, setting the public transport future for Canberra as one firmly relying on a light rail backbone that an expanded bus service can be built around.
You can read the ACT Governments Light Rail Network plans on this page.
All the maps from the plan are on this page.
This is exactly what ACT Light Rail have been lobbying the ACT Government for, for over 15 years. We applaud the ACT Government for this example of long term vision for Canberra.
The Light Rail Master Plan seeks to link the key urban areas of Canberra with major employment zones. Park and Ride transport hubs will be near major roads.
A major break with previous ACT Government transport papers is the move away from the 'Town centre to Civic' hub and spoke model. This plan shows routes running out of town centres as far as Kippax and deep into Tuggeranong.
It is clear that light rail will be used to attract infrastructure and greater development along transport corridors, which is consistent with the 'Territory Plan' and the 'Transport for Canberra' plan.
Looking at the 'rapid' routes identified in the' Transport for Canberra' plan (with 2031 as the goal) the only major difference is the addition of the Airport, and Molonglo, and expanding the routes out from the Town Centres. All good additions. The 2012 plans for rapid routes can be seen here.
Queanbeyan does not appear on the Light Rail Master Plan (it did in the 'Transport for Canberra' plan), but it may be part of an expanded bus service and the work along Canberra Avenue is consistent with this goal. Integrated bus/light rail/active transport is the way that the plans all tie together.
Looking at the 'rapid' routes identified in the' Transport for Canberra' plan (with 2031 as the goal) the only major difference is the addition of the Airport, and Molonglo, and expanding the routes out from the Town Centres. All good additions. The 2012 plans for rapid routes can be seen here.
Queanbeyan does not appear on the Light Rail Master Plan (it did in the 'Transport for Canberra' plan), but it may be part of an expanded bus service and the work along Canberra Avenue is consistent with this goal. Integrated bus/light rail/active transport is the way that the plans all tie together.
There are seven new proposed sections of the light rail network to connect to the Gungahlin to Civic Stage One (construction commencing in 2016):
- Parliamentary Triangle
- Fyshwick
- Canberra Airport
- Woden to Civic
- Tuggeranong to Woden,
- Belconnen to Civic
- Molonglo to Civic
All the maps of the seven new proposed sections are on this page.
There has been no indication of timing for construction of a second stage although the Parliamentary Triangle, Woden and Fyshwick and Airport links have been identified as high priority. The Russell extension is almost certain to be built in 2019.
There has been no indication of timing for construction of a second stage although the Parliamentary Triangle, Woden and Fyshwick and Airport links have been identified as high priority. The Russell extension is almost certain to be built in 2019.
ABC News Online have reported on it here.
Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell said the public now had an important role to play to help determine where the Government's priorities should lie.
"What will now inform future decision making about relative priority, will be business case development for one or a number of those corridors," he said.
"And the Government will be looking at that once we've had feedback from the community."
Canberra Liberals Jeremy Hanson said this kind of high-level planning should have been completed before a decision was made on stage one of the plan.
"Why are they now doing this sort of planning process after the fact?" he said.
"They've already picked their winner, the Northbourne route through Mr Rattenbury's electorate. It's odd that they're now doing this sort of detailed process and retrofitting a plan to try to justify the first stage."
ABC Canberra news report 26 October 2015
WIN Canberra news report 26 October 2015
Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell said the public now had an important role to play to help determine where the Government's priorities should lie.
"What will now inform future decision making about relative priority, will be business case development for one or a number of those corridors," he said.
"And the Government will be looking at that once we've had feedback from the community."
Canberra Liberals Jeremy Hanson said this kind of high-level planning should have been completed before a decision was made on stage one of the plan.
"Why are they now doing this sort of planning process after the fact?" he said.
"They've already picked their winner, the Northbourne route through Mr Rattenbury's electorate. It's odd that they're now doing this sort of detailed process and retrofitting a plan to try to justify the first stage."
Comments on the draft Light Rail Master Plan close in December.
For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.
What a gross waste of tax payers money. I absolutely oppose the light rail program.
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