More buses, the ultimate band-aid solution

As a regular public transport user, I meet the cry of “more buses” as a solution to Canberra’s long term transport future with rolled eyes, a sigh and the odd scream. Sure, buses are a serviceable part of public transport system, but once you reach a certain population and size, they cannot be the only solution.

For a bus system to potentially service a population of just shy of half a million people, we’re looking at building supporting infrastructure and changes to business and staffing models and the costs incurred with these changes. Providing a rapid bus service does not simply mean buying a couple more bendy buses, whacking a logo on the side, and letting them fang down Northbourne Avenue or Adelaide Avenue in a way that would make Daniel Ricciardo proud. 

To enable rapid bus services we would need to see changes to Northbourne (such as less stops, raised platforms, priority lanes and specialised vehicles) that are already happening for light rail that people seem to have such a problem with, and yet apparently it would be okay if we did all that for buses?

First let’s understand the difference between buses and light rail and what they’re meant for in city public transport.  

Light rail provides a backbone to public transport. Light rail is not intended to be flexible, meander through suburbs like a big maxi van and stop at your door. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed to find a bus service in a city the size of Canberra that does this. 

The purpose of light rail is to service major arterial roads on a regular basis, connecting town centres in the most efficient and reliable way. From the start and end points of light rail services, buses take up the service of suburbs. Stage One of light rail will free up hundreds of bus hours, making them more useful in the suburbs than they ever will be trapped behind dozens of cars on Northbourne Avenue.

There are drawbacks to buses that people who don’t take them regularly won’t understand: 

• they are subject to the flow of traffic, 
• they aren’t very roomy, 
• there aren’t as many seats as you think there are, 
• they can (and do) break down, and 
• rides can often be jerky and uncomfortable. 

In peak hour, buses are filled very quickly (for those who say you’ll never get a seat on the light rail, try taking a 200 series Rapid Bus in peak hour), and reliability and adhering to timetables is reliant not only on traffic but also the behaviour of the passengers, particularly where suburban routes turn into arterial routes such as the 259 and where multi modal travel wins over a single route that lasts an hour and provides more opportunities for delays.

Light rail, by comparison, will effectively have its own lane and its progress along the route will not be hampered by what motorised traffic is doing. Unless there’s a car crash right on the light rail track, a dingle on Northbourne Avenue will make no never mind to the light rail. 

Passengers who don’t have their MyWay card out of the wallet and ready to go when the service arrives also won’t hinder the progress of light rail – when light rail pauses along its way at each stop, there is a pre-determined amount of time for passengers to get on and off, passengers have a bit more time to tap on and off with ticket facilities at stops as well as on the light rail vehicles, and if you have a question, you won’t be holding everyone up by taking up the driver’s time. 

The driver is separate from the passengers and instead customer service officers at stops and on the light rail will field questions and concerns so the driver can get on with driving and keeping the service on time. Many people who don’t use public transport don’t realise that it’s often passengers who can hold up the service along its route.

“More buses” screams nothing but “more traffic” along routes that are already congested and slow particularly in peak times. Without dedicated bus lanes – which would either require road widening or taking a lane off current traffic – more buses is not a long term solution. “More buses” also comes at a cost. More vehicle purchasing costs (which have to be paid immediately, as opposed to the light rail PPP model), more drivers, more maintenance, bigger depots, not to mention massive infrastructure changes that are required to make additional buses actually worth the initial outlay. 

Can you imagine the outcry that car loving Canberrans would make if Northbourne Avenue became two lanes so that the third could be bus only? The Letters to the Editor section of The Canberra Times simply isn’t big enough! 

Alternatively, the proposal of an additional lane for motorised vehicles down the middle of Northbourne Avenue makes even those who couldn’t care less about the current public transport debate raise an eyebrow in bewilderment. It’s still going to require tree removal and building of infrastructure such as stops, and it will result in an additional lane that makes the ‘country chic’ median pointless, as well as providing a precedent to turn medians into roads.

In a city over 100,000 people, buses have their place as part of an integrated transport system with light rail at its spine. A massive shift in how Northbourne Avenue and, in the future, other arterial roads in Canberra are used will have to happen either way in order to make light rail or “more buses” actually have an impact on the quality of public transport in Canberra. 

There is only so wide we can make a road for “more buses” until there isn’t any room left for anything else. Utilising the ready made medians for level light rail tracks will, however, provide a substantial change to public transport access and availability with minimal impact to how the roads in Canberra currently work. 

When you consider all the implications, “more buses” will provide more headaches for Canberra road users in the long run, either by losing current lanes or creating more of an eyesore of our medians than light rail ever could.

The “more buses” argument is not only unsustainable, but is a band aid solution that will require additional updates and fixes in the very near future. 

Light rail allows buses to do what they do best which is servicing suburbs along existing roads, with light rail transport easily and efficiently servicing major roads where flexible routes are not required. 

As a regular public transport user, this is what Canberrans need now in order to save time commuting, and increase the usability of the existing bus service. Multi modal travel has been shown to cut commuting times, simply by allowing the right mode of transport to do what it does best, and this is where integrated public transport will allow Canberra’s public transport system and its efficiency to grow. 

More buses, in isolation, are only a band-aid solution. 

Article by Cyn Piromali

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Mark Parton was loving light rail in 2011 and now that he is a Liberal?

Liberal candidate Mark Parton 30 June 2011

Back in June 2011 Mark Parton was his own man, with his own views, and in this column he discusses that after visiting a city with appalling road congestion, and buses not coping, even with bus lanes, that he thought it was time to talk about light rail in Canberra.

Now it is September 2016 and Mark is a Liberal candidate, running in an election where the singular obsession of the Canberra Liberals to the detriment of all other policy areas, has been light rail.

How much input has Liberal candidate Mark Parton had on the Liberals bus only transport plan? He certainly has some insights from visiting a city with outrageous road congestion. Here is what he said in 2011:

"If Northbourne Avenue was in Bogota there would be six lanes of traffic - each way!"

"Bogota is the classic example of what happens when you don't plan for the growth of a city"

"There is a bus service - some of it designated bus lanes - but it doesn't help much"

"If there is a lesson to learn from my traffic experience in South America, it is that the best time to build a public transport network is well and truly before you need it.
Maybe its time to talk light rail in Canberra again"

I wonder if Mark still holds these views? Does he still feel we need to plan for growth of a city? Does he still feel bus lanes don't help much? Does he want Bogota like congestion in Tuggeranong or the rest of Canberra?

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Don’t wait for driverless cars - build light rail now

The autonomous car

Light rail has already started construction in the first stage of what will be a Canberra wide network. This will transform our city and change our culture over time, from a car-centric society where each family needs to have at least two cars, to a place where public transport is easily accessible, frequent and reliable.

Opponents of better public transport are largely drawn from the 93% of Canberrans who don’t use it now, and can’t see why they should have to pay for it. They are used to driving everywhere and parking at the door for free. That is what it was like when they arrived in Canberra in the 1970’s and they can’t understand why it needs to change.

Canberra is changing. The Y Plan was of its time and followed current planning trends, but the NCDC is not a religion and logic needs to be applied to future planning. Some elements of the Burley Griffin vision were adopted, others weren’t. Some elements of the Y Plan have been successful, others not. The current trend of a family home having not one or two cars, but four or more in the driveway is a trend the Y Plan fostered, that cannot continue.

Parking is no longer free, and the vast free car parks of Civic and our Town Centres are no longer there. Free car parking in the Parliamentary Triangle no longer exists. As our city matures, those vast spaces are being replaced with buildings that are of greater economic use than having a car sit on them for eight hours or more a day.

Buses in Canberra once coped admirably with the task assigned; yet as the Y Plan stretched to Tuggeranong and Gungahlin, a bus trip became long and circuitous. We asked ACTION to be both a local bus service and a mass transit provider. It has struggled with this dual task, and under varying management and union approaches, it has seen patronage trend down as private car use soars.

At the same time, the intertown routes are at capacity. On some routes the buses sail past people, as they are full. Clearly a better approach needs to be adopted, and in 2012 the ALP and Greens went to an election with light rail as that better approach. 

In 2016 light rail construction has started. Over time a network will link Canberra and encourage greater public transport use, better planning around transport corridors and decrease road congestion.

If you could travel in comfort to work every day, why would you drive? Wouldn’t you rather sit and read, or rest instead of wait in a traffic jam and then spend fifteen minutes looking for expensive parking? 

Opponents of light rail talk up a bus only solution, yet it is obvious that more of the same will deliver us, well, more of the same. More buses wont lead to greater public transport use or encourage Transit Oriented Development. More buses on the roads wont reduce road congestion either. Not on Northbourne, and not anywhere else.

They also claim autonomous cars will suddenly emerge from labs and become the panacea to the private car, and miraculously reduce the need for mass transit. While this technology may eventually become practical, it isn’t now and not for the foreseeable future. Even if it was, it really only replaces one car for another, and a robot car going home and returning twice a day doubles road congestion instead of reducing it.

14,000 Raiders fan leave Bruce Stadium and have to wait for 14.000 autonomous cars

The biggest flaw in the self-driving car dream is what happens when fourteen thousand Raiders fans exit Bruce stadium after a victory? Or when the Department of Inland Drainage closes down at 5.30PM and eleven hundred employees walk out the door at once? Which person’s car arrives to pick them up first? Where do they queue?

We replace traffic jams with driverless traffic jams. Driverless cars are not a mass transit solution. They are a part of a larger transport picture with multiple solutions to multiple demands.

Light rail offers passenger capacity beyond current buses, with 220 people able to be carried in a single light rail vehicle.  When light rail service commences, over a million bus kilometers a year will be freed up to increase frequency of local bus services.

Your once an hour bus service in Kaleen could become once every half hour or better. As each light rail stage rolls out, the integration of bus and light rail becomes better, and service becomes more frequent and more reliable.

Driverless cars and buses alone cannot provide these future options. We need to support the politicians that have invested enormous political capital in our future, by recognising that the Canberra of the past has changed, and we need to let that change happen in a planned way.  

A version of this article was published in City News on 2 Oct 2016

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Public transport policies in the 2016 ACT Election

ACT Light Rail have a page with all the public transport policies of the competing major parties, for the 2016 Election.

It is here: http://www.actlightrail.info/p/public-transport-policies-2016.html

If we have missed a policy announcement, please email info@actlightrail.info

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Canberra Liberals Northbourne Avenue bus-lane policy arrives with a thud

The proposal by the Canberra Liberals for widening Northbourne Avenue and slicing the median strip in half, to accommodate bus lanes is a very poorly thought out idea. A disappointing policy in many areas. It fails on transport, planning and economic grounds. Not only does it fail to address current road congestion and public transport problems especially those in Gungahlin, it adds to them. Extra road lanes will inevitably be filled with more cars. 

The proposal released today to a resoundingly unenthusiastic thud is Option One from their December 2015 options announcement. See "1995 faxes bus plan to Canberra Liberals" here.

The proposal will fail because buses are already at capacity on the Gungahlin to Civic route, and there is little ability to add more buses. That is one reason that light rail has been chosen. Each bus carries 70 people, each light rail vehicle carries 220 people.


For years the Canberra Liberals have been telling us that light rail wasn't needed because bus rapid transit was cheaper, and could do the same job. They also said that bus rapid transit wasn't simply bus
lanes. Yet that is what today's bus lane announcement is.


The Canberra Liberals have also admitted we will need light rail 'down the track'. By widening Northbournes road surface and slicing the median strip in half - where exactly will light rail go down
Northbourne under this plan?


Will we sacrifice the Northbourne median strip to asphalt and concrete only to rip it up again in 20 or 30 years years? It is a very poor approach to planning. As to the idea that the median strip of Northbourne can simply be eaten away for more roads - It is doubtful the NCA would sign off on that. 

When asked by the Canberra Times, the NCA responded: "Any alternative proposal for transport options for this main avenue ... would be rigorously assessed in accordance with the provisions of the [National Capital] Plan ..
"The NCA supports improvements to Canberra's public transport system and any sustainable initiative that increases accessibility to central Canberra. The NCA considers that a complementary mix of transport modes that supports workers and visitors being able to easily move around the national capital should be the desired goal."


The Canberra Liberals also claim that no trees will be lost. That is simply not realistic. Cutting the median strip in half will lead to tree loss. Trying to appeal to people by deceiving them is a low point in territory politics.


Under this plan we lose the trees, we lose the median strip, we lose the bicycle lanes. We get more roads, and more cars.


None of the alleged bus time savings will be realised as bus services on that corridor are at capacity now. The proposed bus lanes - and not bus rapid transit mind you - are only on Northbourne, not the whole corridor. As traffic on Flemington increases, what happens? They are building in a traffic bottleneck. 


This proposal doesn't solve any transport problems, and will only lead to further traffic congestion and decreased public transport use. It also erodes any TOD benefits and land value capture that will accrue from light rail. 

Any cost savings from tearing up the light rail contract and building bus lanes are illusory. The premise that the light rail consortium will simply build a road instead is deceptive. The penalty for breaking the contract at 300m plus needs to be factored into any of these claims of cost saving. 

This bus lane policy is one of the most poorly thought out policies the Canberra Liberals have produced. If this plan eventuates, then we lose the opportunity to re-engineer our city for the next century. Instead we will continue to be stuck with 20th century road oriented city planning. We deserve better. We deserve light rail.

The Liberal bus lane policy

 The Canberra Times reported on the policy "ACT Liberals plan to widen Northbourne Avenue with two bus lanes plus a bike lane down the middle" here. 

"A Liberal government would build a wide bike lane down the middle of Northbourne Avenue and a bus lane down either side, carving five metres out of the median strip to fit the extra lanes.
"...Alistair Coe said the Northbourne work would cost up to $58 million with a generous contingency.

"He said about 2.5 metres would be taken from each side of the centre strip on the main gateway road. That would reduce the width of the Northbourne median from about 27 metres to about 22 metres."

"The extra road space would create enough room, when combined with the current kerbside bike lane, for four southbound and four northbound lanes of traffic on Northbourne Avenue from Barry Drive to Antill Street. One lane in each direction, adjacent to the kerb, would be a dedicated bus lane, with bus bays where possible."

"Mr Coe said the bus lane was expected to bring travel times for a non-stop bus from the Gungahlin centre to the city at peak hour down to 18 minutes, and 30 minutes from any suburb of Gungahlin.
The central bike path would be three metres wide, and run all the way from the Gungahlin town centre to the city through the middle of the median. The bike lane would have its own lights, which would be phased with the traffic lights, allowing bikes to cross major intersections with the flow of traffic."
"Work would begin early if the Liberals were elected to government, and Mr Coe believed he could re-purpose the light rail consortium to do the Northbourne construction work."

"Mr Coe said he caught the bus from Gungahlin where he lives to the city at the peak morning time on Tuesday. It was not a non-stop service and was scheduled to take 28 minutes from the town centre. It took 31 minutes. Mr Coe believes his bus lane can knock as many as 10 minutes from the scheduled travel time."

"He also believes he can carve as many as 2.5 metres from each side of the median strip without affecting many of the Northbourne Avenue trees. He says there is space in the middle for the bike lane without having to cut down trees."

"Mr Coe said the Liberals would also redevelop the corridor, including the public housing, but not at the rate nor with the urgency of Labor. With no demand for large numbers of new apartments at the moment, the Liberals would be "far more strategic" about the corridor development, he said.
North of Antill Street and into Gungahlin, the Liberals would have just one south-bound bus lane. They would also build an extra traffic lane on each side of Flemington Rd and include lights to give buses priority at intersections."

Media responses

ABC Online reported on it here
Canberra Times reported on it here

WIN TV News Canberra broadcast this on 21 Sep 2016

ABC TV News Canberra broadcast this on 21 Sep 2016

Government responses to the bus lane plan

The response from the ACT Government has been spot on in identifying the flaws. Describing them as "un-costed" and "half-baked". Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris said.
"The travel times that they are proposing are simply untrue,"
"A 30-minute travel time from Bonner to the city is completely unrealistic, unless the Canberra Liberals have flying buses in mind, because they simply cannot deliver that.
"This is the first the Canberra community has seen of an alternative plan and it doesn't stack up. It's unaffordable and it will only lead to further congestion on Northbourne Avenue."

Greens Minister Shane Rattenbury said he was "staggered" by the decision to widen Canberra's main thoroughfare to eight lanes.
"I don't think many Canberrans would be really excited by the idea to make the road even wider," he said.

Transport Canberra and City Services Minister Meegan Fitzharris MLA issued the following media release: 

Libs will turn Northbourne Ave into concrete traffic jam at cost of hundreds of millions

The Canberra Liberals’ plan to concrete Northbourne Avenue will turn it into an eight-lane gridlocked highway, at a cost of hundreds of millions.

Concreting Northbourne Ave so more people can sit in a traffic jam would take the ACT backwards.

The plan announced today would allow for nothing more than a conga line of buses clogging up the city’s main entry road, which won’t even stop to pick up passengers along the route. It is a bandaid solution that will fix nothing but cost a fortune.

The proposal is poorly thought through, massively underfunded and excludes the $300 million cost to rip up the existing light rail contract. First they want to rip up the light rail contract and now they want to rip up Northbourne Ave to turn it into an eight-lane highway.  

The travel times floated are simply impossible, especially when the extra lane runs out at Flemington Road.

Their plan does nothing for Flemington Rd except add more congestion at its northern end, with their conga line of buses clogging it up. Labor's light rail will free up Flemington Road for all users. 

Today’s announcement also includes the ridiculous notion that an international light rail consortium would agree to lay concrete and build bike paths instead. It is like asking someone who is building your house to build you a car instead.

This morning the Liberals’ transport spokesman even admitted on ABC radio that their costing for concreting Northbourne Avenue was a guess.

The Liberals must immediately provide their ‘costings’ to Treasury to reveal the full cost of their plan, including cancelling the light rail contract.

They must also confirm that they have received NCA approval to concrete Northbourne Ave, with no hope of replanting any of the trees that would have to be removed.

As we celebrate opening our city to the world today through direct international flights, the Liberals are scurrying around trying to gridlock our city.

The Canberra Liberals have again demonstrated that they have no clue how to procure, manage or deliver large infrastructure projects.

ACT Labor's plan for an integrated transport network delivers a dedicated right of way for public transport, frees up the cycle lanes and the road network, reducing congestion  and improving travel times for everyone.

Statement ends 

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Canberra business to benefit from light rail construction work opportunities

Media release from Minister for Transport Canberra and City Services, Meegan Fitzharris:


Local business to benefit from light rail work opportunities

Released 25/08/2016

Local Canberra businesses are set to benefit from the construction of light rail with new work packages worth up to $75 million announced yesterday by the Canberra Metro consortium.
The Canberra Business Chamber hosted a forum for local industry to learn more about the opportunities available during construction of the first stage of light rail from Gungahlin to the city.

The construction timetable for the light rail project was also released (attached).

“One of the many benefits of light rail is that it can have a transformative effect, generating economic opportunities and jobs,” Minister for Transport and City Services Meegan Fitzharris said.

“More than 75 work packages have now been announced by the light rail consortium, including professional services, plant, material, road, and building works. These packages are designed to give local businesses in Canberra and the surrounding region the opportunity to provide a wide range of services during the construction of the project.

“This is a real opportunity for local business to provide expertise across a diverse range of categories during the construction of the light rail project.

“Canberra Metro has committed to sourcing 90 percent of construction jobs locally and at least 75 percent during operation. Further opportunities for supply and services may also be available during the operations phase.

“This is a huge job-creating construction project for our city, directly and indirectly supporting around 3,500 jobs. Light rail will create great job opportunities for people right across Canberra.

“Like the ACT Government, Canberra Metro understands the importance of capitalising on local knowledge and expertise to deliver a project that meets the needs of our community. The consortium will continue to work with local suppliers, small and medium business operators and subcontractors as well to further maximise local participation and employment through training and apprenticeship programs.

“Canberra Metro will be taking on 60 apprentices and trainee roles during light rail construction, while also providing 10 graduate placements as well as 40 University of NSW Canberra work experience placements during construction. This is further proof of the benefits light rail will have on the local community, reaching beyond obvious transport benefits.”

Minister Fitzharris said the first of the construction work packages is expected to be released for tender in August 2016.  More packages of work are expected to be announced as the project progresses.  

For up-to-date information on the Canberra Metro work packages visit www.canberrabusiness.com. 

Further information on the Transport Canberra Light Rail project is available at www.transport.act.gov.au

- Statement ends -

Section: Meegan Fitzharris, MLA | Media Releases

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Australian Rail Association continues to support light rail in Canberra

The Australian Rail Association continue to support Canberras Capital Metro Stage One light rail as the backbone of an integrated public transport system in a media release on 17 August 2016.

"With the first sod recently turned on Stage 1 of Canberra’s Light Rail, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) takes the opportunity to remind all Canberrans that an integrated approach to transport is the most sensible way to guarantee an efficient, affordable and environmentally sustainable transport network for Australia’s capital city.

“Canberra currently has one of the lowest rates of public transport usage in Australia, however with some smart planning, Canberra could have a world-class transport system that cleverly integrates light rail with buses, bike paths and carparks,” said ARA Chief Executive Officer, Danny Broad.

“This kind of modern solution to urban transport challenges is already being embraced by cities around the world.

“The transport solutions for a city of 300,000 people are vastly different to those needed for Canberra’s projected 2035 population of 550,000. Buses alone are not the solution, soon enough they would simply result in congested roads.

“Australia is experiencing a light rail revolution, with projects in seven States and Territories at varying stages of planning, construction or expansion.

“Light rail offers Canberra a compelling public transport value proposition, which consists of a medium capacity, road-based public transport solution that is delivered at an affordable price point, realising a range of economic, social and environmental benefits.

“The Capital Metro Business Case has forecast the project will generate around $1 billion in benefits for the Canberra community over its first 30 years of operation.

“To better contextualise this figure, over the past ten years, the ACT Government has invested more than $1 billion on road infrastructure. Over the next four years, a total of $2.5 billion has been budgeted by the ACT Government for infrastructure development with Capital Metro’s $698 million project representing less than one third of the Territory’s total infrastructure investment.

“It is clear governments can no longer build their way out of road congestion by increasing road capacity even where suitable corridors exist.

“The induced demand for transport means new road capacity is quickly used and roads rapidly become congested. This is why cities around the globe are investing in alternative forms of mass transport.

“Light Rail represents a way to break this downward cycle of spending on more and bigger roads. Reallocating existing road space to light rail will carry more people per lane, per hour than private cars or the existing bus system can do.

“The debate over light rail versus bus is over. Canberrans need a light rail system integrated with a bus network. A long-term integrated transport approach is required for our growing city,” said Danny Broad."

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Four possible extensions identified for Stage Two of Canberra's light rail network

Belconnen, Woden, Parliamentary Triangle or the Airport are possible Stage Two routes

As well as commencing work on Capital Metro Stage One light rail, the ACT Government has undertaken consultation on an all of Canberra public transport network, comprised of light rail, buses and active transport. A major part of this was the 2015 draft Light Rail Master Plan (or Network Plan). That report identified possible extensions to the light rail network.

This consultation work has now been finalised, with the publication of the Keeping Canberra Moving report today.  This report is probably the last major piece of work ahead of an election announcement for a Stage Two. The Transport Canberra page for this report is here. 

People that responded to the consultation process identified the corridors that they favoured, based on those identified in the draft 2015 Light Rail Network plan. The report identified four possible extensions for Stage Two of the light rail network:

• Airport 
• Belconnen 
• Parliamentary Zone 
• Woden

The primary reason people gave for supporting their preferred corridor was to improve the integration and efficiency of the transport network and to better service employment centres. There was also support for Civic to be a central transport hub. 

The Canberra Times have reported on this as "Labor announces possible Canberra light rail extensions to build in next term of government". 

"The ACT Government has announced four possible extensions for Canberra's tramline, and says it will announce its preferred route before the election.
Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris said Labor would commit to build the second stage before the October election, with contracts expected to be signed and work to begin before the 2020 election. Labor would start construction on stage two as work on stage one finished, to keep the employment pipeline going and to move directly from one route to the next."

"One of the big questions is how to get over the lake, with Planning Minister Mick Gentleman saying Commonwealth Avenue bridge had the avenue of three lanes in each direction, compared with two lanes for Kings Avenue.
Both options would require bridge strengthening work and both needed the involvement of the National Capital Authority, with the authority already indicating that trams in the Parliamentary Triangle should operate without overhead wires.
Mr Gentleman said the ACT would also want federal funding for a Parliamentary Triangle route."

The full report is worth reading. It steps through peoples reasons for using public transport and what they want from it. It is apparent that people want better public transport, and that they want light rail. More than 6000 people provided input to the consultation process in the form of comments or submissions. 

"The top reason people gave for how government should prioritise making decisions on light rail expansion was to reduce dependency on cars and increase public transport use. Other popular reasons included serving broader parts of Canberra and improving transport in major business, government, employment centres and tourist areas."

Feedback received from the public has informed the selection of four possible routes that may be considered for Stage Two of the light rail network. It is important to remember that each possible route would be subject to a robust business case being performed before it was selected. 

Minister Gentleman said: 

“Canberrans identified four routes – Woden to the City, Belconnen to the City, the Airport and the Parliamentary Zone as priority routes for the next stage of Canberra’s light rail network,” 

“The Woden corridor provides the opportunity to create a north-south ‘spine’ for the city’s transport, and plans released today will look at extending this corridor to the Mawson Group Centre.  

“While community consultation examined the corridor to Woden, a short extension to Mawson would provide a great link for the Tuggeranong community to utilise the popular Mawson Park and Ride facility on their daily commute.

“Community consultation also looked at a potential network extension from the city to Kippax. At present the Government is investigating the City to the Belconnen Town Centre section of that corridor, in response to strong support for a route linking two universities, CIT and two hospitals. There is an opportunity to extend light rail to Kippax over the longer term, especially when demand in the area grows through developments in West Belconnen.

“The ACT Government will now move to undertake more detailed analysis of all four preferred routes, before making an announcement later this year on the next steps in developing a city-wide light rail network, with the community’s chosen routes at its core,” 

A joint press release was issued by the Minister for Planning Mick Gentleman and Minister for Transport Canberra and City Service Meegan Fitzharris today:

Canberrans have their say on future of public transport

More than 6,000 Canberrans have had their say on the future of public transport in the ACT, calling for a network that is quicker and more frequent and identifying their priorities for the next stages of light rail.

Minister for Transport and City Services Meegan Fitzharris and Minister for Planning and Land Management Mick Gentleman today released Keeping Canberra Moving: What you have told us, a report from new transport agency Transport Canberra that highlights key improvements that could be made to public transport to ensure Canberra remains the most liveable city in the world and encourage Canberrans to leave the car at home.

“It’s clear that people want public transport to be quicker and more frequent, and that’s exactly what Transport Canberra’s integrated network of light rail and rapid buses will deliver. The clear message from Canberrans is that an expanded light rail network integrated with more frequent buses and our walking and cycling network will make public transport a genuine alternative to driving,” said Minister Fitzharris.

“Whether they’re taking the bus, riding their bike or hopping on the light rail network, every Canberran on public transport takes one more car off the road. This eases congestion and means we don’t become gridlocked like Sydney.

“By the end of this year there will be 400,000 living in Canberra, and in the next 20 years our population is set to increase by a third, with almost 500,000 people to call Canberra home by 2035. We need to start planning now for that future growth, which is why now is the right time to start our light rail network, and look to where it can go next.

“Transport Canberra has now been established to integrate our public transport system. The agency will consider the findings from this report and work with the community to ensure our public transport system meets the needs of our growing city.”

Minister Gentleman said the community had considered the light rail network and identified the four priority routes for the next stage of the network.

“Canberrans identified four routes – Woden to the City, Belconnen to the City, the Airport and the Parliamentary Zone as priority routes for the next stage of Canberra’s light rail network,” Minister Gentleman said.

“All four routes would take advantage of key landmarks, cultural institutions, education and health services and increased tourism from international flights, which start in September.”

“The Woden corridor provides the opportunity to create a north-south ‘spine’ for the city’s transport, and plans released today will look at extending this corridor to the Mawson Group Centre.  

“While community consultation examined the corridor to Woden, a short extension to Mawson would provide a great link for the Tuggeranong community to utilise the popular Mawson Park and Ride facility on their daily commute.

“Community consultation also looked at a potential network extension from the city to Kippax. At present the Government is investigating the City to the Belconnen Town Centre section of that corridor, in response to strong support for a route linking two universities, CIT and two hospitals. There is an opportunity to extend light rail to Kippax over the longer term, especially when demand in the area grows through developments in West Belconnen.

“The ACT Government will now move to undertake more detailed analysis of all four preferred routes, before making an announcement later this year on the next steps in developing a city-wide light rail network, with the community’s chosen routes at its core,” concluded Minister Gentleman.

The report combines consultation on the future light rail network and the recent public transport survey.

Integrating buses and light rail with improved walking and cycling infrastructure is all part of Transport Canberra’s plan to keep Canberrans moving quickly and easily across the city.

For more information visit: www.transport.act.gov.au 

Statement ends

As well as this website, the facebook group 'Light Rail for Canberra' carries frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news. 

Ninety years of Canberra Buses celebrated at RATEC clubhouse

RATEC members and Minster Meegan Fitzharris in front of a vintage bus and new ACTION bus

Today Meegan Fitzharris, Minister for Transport Canberra and City Services, visited the Retired ACT Transport Employees Club house to celebrate 90 years of public transport in Canberra. In her short speech ahead of cake cutting, she remarked on the photo on the wall behind her of a horse and carriage carting children that was Canberras earliest public transport service, and observed how different the older and newer buses parked in front of the club house for the day were. Her warm comments about the efforts of the retired ACTION employees were received with grace and humour. 

Buses will always play a significant part in Canberras transport options. Even though light rail will roll out across Canberra over the coming decades taking over and expanding the mass transit role, buses will continue to circulate through Canberras suburbs taking us safely home. Today was a day for us to remember and thank the retired employees for their work over the past 90 years. 

Yes there was cake

Minister Fitzharris on front of a photo of horse and cart carrying children, Canberras earliest form of public transport

Retired ACTION driver Dick Redman gained his bus licence in this vehicle in 1950

Logo on the side of a 1950's Canberra bus

Minister for Transport Canberra and City Services, Meegan Fitzharris MLA released the following media release on 19 July 2016:

MEEGAN Fitzharris has joined Transport Canberra staff and members of the Retired ACT Transport Employees Club (RATEC) to celebrate 90 years of bus services in the ACT.

“Public transport in the ACT has come a long way in 90 years, and it is great to be able to celebrate this milestone at what is a really exciting time for public transport here in Canberra,” Meegan said.

“We recently launched our brand new transport agency, Transport Canberra, our new bus timetable launched yesterday, and construction on our light rail network has started, which I know will play a huge part in the next 90 years of public transport here in Canberra.

“Public transport has been an integral part of our city from its earlier days and it will continue to play an even more important role into the future with more than 500,000 people expected to call Canberra home in the next 15 years.

“In July 1926, the Federal Capital Commission started the first public operating bus service in Canberra, which was known as the Canberra City Omnibus Service.

“Parliament House opened the following year and a number of Commonwealth Government Departments began to move to Canberra. This led to an increase in people living in the ACT. To support this, the Omnibus Service grew the size and frequency.

“This service continued to grow and, by 1977, the Australian Capital Territory Internal Omnibus Network, known to most of us as ACTION, was formed.

“Looking back, a lot has changed. The city has grown from less than 10,000 people in the early days of the Canberra City Omnibus Service, to over 390,000 people today. Our buses now provide 3,306 weekday services, 1,186 services on Saturdays and 816 on Sundays. Technology has also improved with paper tickets replaced by the more efficient MyWay cards.

“These changes are certainly apparent in the difference between ‘Matilda’, the restored 1949 AEC Regal III Omnibus, and the Scania CB80, the newest of ACTION’s bus fleet, which is fully accessible, low emission and fitted with heating and cooling.

“Of course the next stage of our public transport journey will include light rail, and we will be working hard to ensure our buses integrate seamlessly with light rail when the first stage starts operating in early 2019.

“But what today is really all about is ensuring ACT residents continue to have access to quality public transport. This is one of the ACT Government’s highest priorities, and I’m proud to be able to celebrate this milestone today as we look forward to making our public transport system work even better for the people of Canberra.”


As part of the celebrations for the day, Minister Fitzharris visited the RATEC clubhouse and viewed a range of ACT public transport memorabilia, including old driver shift cards, photographs, timetable books and signage. The Minster donated a new Transport Canberra MyWay card to the collection.

Statement ends.

As well as this website, the facebook group 'Light Rail for Canberra' carries frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news. 

Free City Loop bus service proving popular in 'Bus Wars'

The free City Loop bus trial is one of the initiatives to improve public transport services for all areas of Canberra. Other initiatives include a direct Weston Creek to Civic bus service, and the most significant infrastructure investment in Canberras history - Capital Metro Light Rail Stage One.

Significant work is being performed on the ACTION timetable and routes using the existing bus fleet, and the 30 new buses being delivered this year. A new timetable and route package is expected to be announced shortly.

A major benefit to bus services and bus users for all of Canberra will be realised when Capital Metro light rail begins service. One million bus kilometres a year will be released from the existing bus rapid route, that can be allocated all across Canberra.

After a week of the free City Loop bus trial operating, Minister Meegan Fitzharris released this media release on July 13 discussing early patronage figures.

Free City Loop popular – attracts over 1,200 boardings in first week Transport Canberra’s new free City Loop service has already built a fan base in its first week of operation, with more than 1,200 boardings in just five days. “I am pleased to announce that in its first week of operation, the free City Loop recorded 1,233 boardings. This is a great result for this brand new service, and shows people want to move around our city in new ways,” Minister Fitzharris said. “Passenger boardings were at their highest during the hours of 12 pm to 2 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm, which demonstrates people are moving around Civic more at lunchtime and in the evenings. “The free City Loop is a convenient ‘turn up and go’ weekday service for commuters and connects with high frequency Red and Blue Rapid services and buses to the Parliamentary Triangle. The service also supports local businesses and helps Canberrans travel around popular areas in the CBD for free, including Braddon, New Acton, the Canberra Centre and ANU. “Patronage is expected to increase further in the following weeks with the return of school and university students from their break.” Minister Fitzharris today welcomed the Canberra Liberals’ support for a City Loop bus service, but said only Labor was committed to keeping the service free. “The Canberra Liberals have today released their own city loop plan. It’s not free, it’s less frequent, it looks like a very long journey, and they project fewer people will actually use it than currently use our free City Loop. “You can’t trust the Canberra Liberals on public transport. They have never had a consistent public transport position, except to tear up a contract for a project that they say we will need in 20 years. “I’m interested in how we encourage more people to use public transport, rather than putting up barriers, which is what the Canberra Liberals plan does. “As people become more familiar with the free City Loop service, I think it will become even more popular, and we’ve already had great feedback on the City Loop from a range of people and stakeholders, including the ANU. With more than 5,000 students living next to one of the City Loop stops, it is likely to be a very popular way to move around the CBD. “The free City Loop service, launched on Monday 4 July 2016, links highly-frequented areas of the CBD such as the City Bus Station, Canberra Centre, Braddon precinct, Northbourne Avenue, the Australian National University and New Acton precinct. “The launch of the free City Loop coincided with the launch of the new Transport Canberra agency, which is responsible for integrating buses with the new light rail, developing a single ticketing system and new coordinated timetabling, active travel upgrades and transport innovation. “The City Loop is one of the ways the ACT Government is making public transport more frequent and easier to use. It’s all part of our plan to keep Canberra moving. “The ACT Government is continuing to build an integrated, city wide transport network with a $17 million investment in the 2016-17 ACT Budget for new transport services, including $10 million for 20 new buses and a trial of electric buses,” said Minister Fitzharris. More information about the free City Loop is available at www.transport.act.gov.au

Transport is one area the ACT Government has made a priority, and it is a policy area the Canberra Liberals have no real expertise or understanding of. Although the free City Loop bus service has only been operating for one week, the Canberra Liberals have hastily released proposal for a less useful bus loop called City Hopper, that competes with an existing private bus operator.

Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury obviously bemused at the catchup policies of the Canberra Liberals, released the following comment on Facebook on 13 July:

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.... Actually it wasn’t that long ago and it was right here in Canberra. The Greens were the only party championing for better public transport in the face of criticism, and even mocking and condescension from the Canberra Liberals. It’s great to see the debate shift so far that we are now seeing a “bus wars” of one-upmanship as all parties recognise the importance of having a good public transport system across Canberra.

As well as this website, the facebook group 'Light Rail for Canberra' carries frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news.