Map of polling booth results showing light rail is a vote winner

This simple graphic indicates that light rail is a vote winner. Look at the percentage of the ALP primary vote by polling booth on this map with primary vote numbers from booths overlaid on to a map of Canberra. The proximity of a booth to the light rail route correlates to a 10-15% primary vote gain.

How will the data on this map change when in the 2020 Assembly election light rail from Gungahlin to Civic is operational and Woden route construction may be underway? Only more positively for the parties that support light rail.

• Coloured circles are Assembly polling place results 
• Black line is proposed light rail route

Image from Australian Rail Maps Twitter page with data from #actvotes

For more frequent updates on Canberra Metro and Canberra light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

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

For more frequent updates on Canberra Metro and Canberra light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

If a tree falls on Northbourne Avenue, is light rail to blame?

On the afternoon of 4 October 2016 a severe storm cell swept over Canberra. The local SES reported 116 incidents they attended, mainly due to damage from trees.

This photo is of a eucalyptus tree on Northbourne Avenue, across two lanes of traffic. We can only hope that the tree didn't cause any injuries or damage a persons car when it fell.

Many of the existing eucalyptus trees along Northbourne Avenue are diseased or unsuitable for urban locations, due to a propensity to drop limbs without warning. When light rail construction is finished, the trees that have been removed will be replaced with around 1000 more than there are now.

These trees fall over constantly. They would need replacement, even if light rail wasn't being built.

See also: Northbourne Avenue trees and light rail - facts not fiction

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

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 

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

Canberra light rail construction timeline for Capital Metro Stage One

This brochure detailing the construction timeline for Canberra Metros build of Capital Metro light rail Stage One was distributed to prospective tenderers at last weeks Canberra Business Chamber Light Rail Forum. Construction began on July 12 2016.

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

Northbourne Avenue trees and light rail - facts not fiction

A diseased tree being removed from Northbourne Avenue (Canberra Times)

Yes the trees are going
Yes they will be replaced (with more than there are now)
Yes they will be replaced with semi-mature trees 4 to 5 metres high
No tree that is removed before construction begins is because of light rail.
No Northbourne Avenue will not be defoliated permanently

There will be more trees when we have light rail, then when we didn't. 

The trees on Northbourne Avenues median strip will be removed during the construction of light rail. Trees are being removed now because they are diseased or damaged. Construction has started on the light rail project, but it is not yet at the stage where trees will be removed on Northbourne Avenue. See this post on the light rail construction timeline.

Fact - There are only 202 healthy trees left along Northbourne Avenue after years of disease and storm damage to the current planting. Many of these would have to be replaced over time in any case.

Fact - When light rail construction concludes an extra 1000 trees will be planted to replace those removed.

Fact - semi-mature Eucalyptus Mannifera will be approximately 4-5 metres high when first planted during the construction phase of Capital Metro. The NCA endorse this species.

Fact - light rail tracks will occupy about seven metres of the total 27-metre wide median strip, leaving about 10 metres on either side for landscaping and trees

Northbourne Avenue with light rail, mature trees and sympathetic landscaping 

In time the entrance to the Nations capital will become a grand tree lined boulevard, with trees and light rail. People may actually enjoy walking or cycling along it. It will be more than simply a funnel for cars and a long strip of sickly gum trees. It will be the entrance we have needed since Federation.

Many trees have fallen since the current planting matured, and they continue to fall or be removed on safety grounds. Sometimes this program is misinterpreted as being part of the light rail project, and those with an anti light rail agenda fulminate and distort reality in their political campaign. Even the Canberra Times (Independent always...) plays this game with misleading headlines.

Example - "First Northbourne tree removals costing $32,000" implies that the trees being removed are part of the first stage of light rail construction. In fact the removal was about public safety.

"the tree removals were not linked to the government's planned city to Gungahlin tram line, which will see 444 trees cut down on Northbourne from later in the year. They will be replaced with 671 new trees, expected to be grown at the Yarralumla Nursery. On the Federal Highway, 211 trees will be removed and 157 new trees planted."

Understandably it is hard to get the true facts on tree removal along Northbourne when even the local newspaper distort the truth to sell papers. That is why this website will alway provide a range of views to enable you to form your own.

• Canberra Times article on tree removal
• Canberra Times article on tree removal timeline
• Canberra Times article on trees removed on safety grounds after excessive rains 
• ACT Light Rail article on tree falling across Northbourne Avenue
• ACT Light Rail have covered this before
• ACT Government media release on extra 1000 trees
• ACT Government media release on new tree species for Northbourne Avenue

Northbourne Avenue has had several generations of tree plantings in its lifetime. It is a harsh environment for native trees, and their lifespan is significantly shorter in a congested urban area, than sitting peacefully in Namadgi. In 2015 the ACT Government advised that:

"The selection of a suitable replacement tree species for the Northbourne corridor is significant as it represents the fourth generation of trees to be planted within the median since around 1913.

“Many of the trees remaining in the median on Northbourne Avenue are in decline and will need to be replaced in the near future regardless of the light rail project,” Mr Corbell said.

“Between 2010 and 2014 the number of trees on the Northbourne Avenue and Federal Highway median of the light rail corridor reduced from 802 to just 484 through failing health, storm damage and removal of dead and dangerous trees. Furthermore, the 2014 assessment of the trees in the corridor found only 59% of the remaining trees were healthy."

In June 2015 the ACT Government informed the public that:

"The light rail corridor between Gungahlin and City will see an increase of nearly 1000 extra trees as part of Capital Metro stage one according to the recently released environmental impact statement for the project, Minister for Capital Metro Simon Corbell said today.

“Although the project requires the removal about 860 existing trees along Flemington Road, the Federal Highway and Northbourne Avenue there will be 1,800 new trees planted in their place,” Mr Corbell said.

“This includes the replacement of about 450 Eucalyptus elata along the Federal Highway and Northbourne Avenue with approximately 700 Eucalyptus mannifera.

“This will result in fantastic medium to long-term results for the aesthetic of the gateway to Canberra but the government is also exploring possibilities for the staging of replacement of the existing trees and the procurement of pre-grown replacements in order to minimize the short-term visual impact of these changes.

The Eucalyptus elata have been struggling over recent years and through natural attrition the number of these trees in this area have reduced from more than 800 in 2010 to about 480 in 2014.  Many of these remaining trees are in decline and only 59% are rated as being in good health. 

“Eucalyptus mannifera is a common tree in Canberra with 100,000 already planted in our urban forest, including as boulevard trees in areas like Captain Cook Crescent in Griffith.  The new plantings will emphasise the ‘bush capital’ look and uphold the character of Northbourne Avenue as a grand boulevard,” Mr Corbell said.

“The Capital Metro project provides a key opportunity to redefine the gateway to the nation’s capital and improve the landscape character for the light rail corridor for all residents and visitors to enjoy. Development of light rail stage one provides an opportunity to refresh the Northbourne Avenue, Federal Highway and Flemington Road corridors, adorning the alignment with new native and exotic trees

“An opportunity also exists to improve the landscape character of Flemington Road, which at the moment doesn’t feature many trees in the median. The draft EIS identifies an opportunity to greatly improve the visual appeal and amenity of the corridor through tree planting in the verges and median.”

A number of native and exotic trees are proposed to be planted along Flemington Road and the Federal Highway. A key focus for the Flemington section of the light rail corridor will be to compliment the surrounding native temperate grassland and lowland woodland character."

Even the ACT Conservation Council appreciate the need for tree replacement.

Of course, politicians will ignore facts and create their own reality where any tree that falls along Northbourne, or is removed for safety reasons is somehow related to the light rail project. despite the facts presented here that shows that many of these trees will have to be replaced regardless of whether light rail was coming down Northbourne Avenue or not. These people are lying to win votes. They don't really care for trees, they just don't want light rail and will use anything they think people will fall for, even cheap deceptive publicity stunts.

Canberra Liberal candidate Elizabeth Lee deliberately misleading people in an attempt to win votes

Canberra Liberal candidate Candice Burch misleading the public to win votes

This is Northbourne Avenue. We deserve better.

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

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

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

Infrastructure Australia confirms need for light rail in Canberra

On 22 May 2015 infrastructure Australia issued a report, in which it analysed the impact of road congestion on Australia's economy. The impact on Canberra is quite staggering. Road congestion is not only a drain on our economy and a drain on our productivity, it also denies us time we can spend with our families. In February 2016 Infrastructure Australia listed Canberras light rail on its list of national priorities.

What is the real cost of simply doing nothing? How many more lanes do we build on Northbourne or Canberra Avenue? Will those extra lanes decrease road congestion?

The drag on our economy from increasing road congestion can be quantified. It is not just the cost of building light rail, it is the cost of not building light rail and enduring increasing road congestion.

When opponents of light rail point to the construction cost, they never talk about the cost of NOT building light rail. The sole focus seems to be on light rail construction costs, not the costs of chronic road congestion and the drain on the ACT economy and the resultant loss of productivity that causes.

The full report and summaries can be downloaded from Infrastructure Australia here.

In May 2015 the Canberra Times reported on the IA report here:

"The ACT government says a new report warning of booming congestion on Canberra's roads has bolstered its case for a light rail line, with gridlock in some places to increase as much as 20 per cent by 2031.
An Infrastructure Australia audit report released on Friday showed Canberra Avenue, the airport-to-city corridor and Northbourne Avenue will all reach 70 per cent or more of morning peak capacity within 15 years.
Growing congestion will cost the territory $700 million by 2031, as Canberra Avenue reaches 72 per cent of its morning capacity on weekdays and drivers around the airport and city roads face 79 per cent capacity between 7 and 9am.
The Barton Highway-Northbourne Avenue corridor - currently expected to see tram services commencing by 2019 or 2020 - will have reached 68 per cent of capacity in morning peak times by 2031.
Other delays on Canberra's top 10 busiest roads include the William Slim Drive and Coulter Drive corridor with 72 per cent capacity traffic and more than 67 per cent capacity across each of the Belconnen Way and Barry Drive corridor; Gungahlin Drive corridor; and the area taking in Macarthur Avenue, Limestone Avenue and Fairburn Avenue.
The report found Canberra Avenue's delays will cost an estimated $1.22 million to the territory economy, followed by Barton Highway and Northbourne Avenue at $1.18 million.
Both sides of ACT politics talked up the figures on Friday. Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell said the $800 million light rail line to Gungahlin would ease congestion while Opposition transport spokesman Alistair Coe said all of Canberra's busiest roads needed attention, not just Northbourne Avenue.
Bus trips around Canberra will grow markedly as congestion bites, the report said. North Canberra will be the destination for 27,000 bus trips by passenger hours, up from 14,400. Belconnen will increase from 10,535 to 18,061 passenger hours.
Gungahlin bus passenger hours will boom from 4400 in 2011 to 18,800 by 2031. Growth of about 2500 hours will be recorded for south Canberra.
Despite no support from Infrastructure Australia for the $800 million tram line, Mr Corbell said it was an effective response to growing congestion.
"The report confirms doing nothing on Northbourne Avenue is not an option. People on the north side will see commute times of more than an hour to get from Gungahlin into the city and the parliamentary triangle over the next 10 to 15 years," he said.
Mr Coe the opposition believed roadworks on Northbourne Avenue were needed to give buses priority. He wouldn't rule out bus lanes replacing the median strip.
The opposition is yet to release a substantive public transport policy."

Another Canberra Times article "Audit finds Northbourne Avenue delays most expensive in ACT"

"Delays on major Canberra roads are tipped to cost $700 million by 2031 as the population of Gungahlin and Belconnen increases, according to a landmark Infrastructure Australia audit.
The audit, which was published on Friday, found the Northbourne Avenue corridor was the most expensive road in the ACT with delays costing $430,000 per lane kilometre in 2011.
But the audit warned delays on the arterial road could cost $1.1 million in 2031, second only to the Canberra Avenue corridor at an estimated $1.22 million.
"The cost of delay on greater Canberra's urban transport network in 2011 was around $0.2 billion," the report said.
"In the absence of any additional capacity – other than projects already under construction or funded – the cost of delay is projected to grow to around $0.7 billion in 2031."
Public transport use on Northbourne Avenue was also tipped to increase with the greatest population growth predicted in North Canberra, Belconnen and Gungahlin.
"Passenger loadings on Northbourne Avenue in particular are projected to rise substantially through to 2031," the report said."

"In October, Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell​ said an increase in bus services along Northbourne Avenue was not an acceptable option for Canberra.
"We know that putting buses down Northbourne Avenue means either taking away two lanes of traffic or building a roadway down the middle of the median strip," he said.
"Neither of those options are acceptable for the city."

"Without action road travel time in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra are expected to increase by at least 20 per cent in the most congested corridors by 2031."
"Major reforms are needed to improve the way we, finance and operate infrastructure to ensure it can underpin gains in Australia's productivity and employment growth in decades ahead."

This discussion did not go unnoticed, and research is ongoing.  Although light rail had not previously been listed on teh Infrastructure Australia priority list, changing conditions saw that change. In February 2016 Infrastructure Australia listed Canberras light rail on its list of national priorities.

"A federal government agency has included Canberra's light rail project on its infrastructure priority list due to increasing congestion costs, limited public transport options and projected population growth. The project was not included on previous Infrastructure Australia lists due to concerns there was not enough traffic congestion to warrant federal funding for light rail or rapid buses. ...it found the problems associated with Canberra's main arterial road were of national significance and demanded attention."

This upgrading in priorities was flagged in May 2015. Modelling released in late 2015 found

• the cost of congestion on Canberra roads will double to $400 million by 2030 unless major projects are completed
• total kilometres travelled on ACT roads could increase from 3.9 billion to 5.2 billion by 2030.
• the cost of congestion in Canberra has increased from $54 million in 1990 to $200 million in 2015, largely due to an increasing population in Gungahlin and Belconnen.
• nationally the total cost of congestion is tipped to reach $30 billion in 2030. 
• the costs have increased from $12.8 billion in 2010 to $16.5 billion in 2016.

Light rail in Canberra is an important planning tool as well as a tool to resolve road congestion and increase public transport usage. The advantages of light rail over bus only transport are proven and will lead to a change in transport pattern usage and land pattern usage as Canberra matures.

Win Canberra report May 22 2015

ABC Canberra report May 22 2015

Media release from MLA Simon Corbell from May 22 2015 here.

A report into traffic congestion in Canberra has confirmed the need for light rail between City and Gungahlin, Minister for Capital Metro Simon Corbell said today. The report by Infrastructure Australia shows that business as usual will result in a loss of $700 million due to congestion each year by 2031.

The report also highlights Northbourne Avenue as the transport corridor of major concern because much of Canberra growth will happen in Gungahlin and Canberra’s north.

“This report confirms that light rail is the right choice for Canberra and it confirms that City to Gungahlin is the right place to start,” Mr Corbell said.
“Business as usual, or relying on putting more vehicles on our roads, is not a solution and will do nothing to prevent or reduce the loss of $700 million annually from the ACT economy.

“Previous modelling done by the Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics had put the cost of congestion in Canberra at $200 million a year by 2020.  This new work by IA shows that congestion will get even worse than previously predicted if we don’t take action now.

“Light rail will get people out of their cars and into a comfortable, reliable, high-capacity mode of public transport that is separate from general traffic.
“Not only is light rail capable of carrying large numbers of commuters as we head towards a population of 600,000 but it can also integrate into the landscape in a way that lets us maintain the character of Northbourne Avenue as the gateway to Canberra.”

The IA report also said that public transport use was expected to increase, with passenger loadings expected to grow substantially on Northbourne Avenue by 2031.

“The Liberals have no plan to deal with this looming transport crisis except to increase congestion by putting more cars on the road,” Mr Corbell said.
“The Liberals’ blind opposition to a project that will create $1 billion in economic benefits, more than 3500 jobs and helps prevent the loss of $700 million a year from our economy is fiscally irresponsible.

“Putting more buses in among the traffic on Northbourne Avenue won’t solve the problem, even if you give them priority at traffic lights. The only way to make buses work would be to give them their own lane.  To do this you would need to remove a lane of general traffic in both directions.  This would make congestion worse for private commuters.

“A transport plan for Canberra’s future needs to make transport better for all commuters, those in their cars as well as those on public transport.  Light rail achieves this.
“Light rail will deliver transport benefits, social benefits, health benefits and significant economic benefits while changing the way we use one of our most important corridors.”

A separate report from the ANU School of Sociology by Dr David Bissell has also highlighted the social cost of congestion and extended commutes. Dr Bissell said commuter stress would lead to “tipping points” that could lead people to change their route, mode of travel or move house. He said light rail in Canberra would “change the very atmosphere of Canberra and lend a sense of vitality to the city”

For more frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news, please visit our Facebook page 'Light Rail for Canberra'.  

Construction begins on Capital Metro Light Rail Stage One at the Mitchell Depot

Every day more progress is made towards better public transport in Canberra. Last week new bus services were announced, this week construction on light rail commences on a 70 million dollar light rail depot in Mitchell. Light rail vehicles will be housed and maintained there when the depot is completed.

For several months surveyors have been up and down the corridor in preparation for works commencing in earnest. With the first sod turned at the Mitchell depot the light rail project is becoming more real every day.

ACT Government Ministers and senior staff from Transport Canberra and Canberra Metro attended the Mitchell Depot site off Flemington Road for the sod-turning ceremony. Light rail is on its way and progress has been rapid since the contract was signed between the Canberra Metro consortium and the ACT Government in April..

WIN TV Canberra carried this report on 12 July 2016

ABC TV Canberra carried this report on 12 July 2016

This press release was issued on 12 July 2016:

First sod turned on stage one of city wide light rail network

Today the ACT Government marked the start of stage one of the city wide light rail network for Canberra.

Construction of the first phase of the project is underway, creating thousands of jobs throughout the life span of the project.

As part of Transport Canberra’s integrated network, light rail will transform our growing city, taking thousands of cars off the road by providing a genuine alternative to driving, generating jobs, attracting investment and revitalising the main gateway to the city. The project will change how we use public transport, which is essential given there will be almost 500,000 people living in Canberra by 2031.

Construction of the first stage will be complete by the end of 2018 so that operations can commence in 2019.

The Government will be making further commitments on public transport in coming months, including on future stages of the light rail network – demonstrating our commitment to a city wide improvement of public transport.

Minister Fitzharris said the project demonstrates the ACT Government’s commitment to addressing congestion now, rather than waiting until the city is gridlocked.

“Light rail will transform our city, and today marks the start of a whole new transport journey for Canberra. It’s all part of our plan to keep Canberra moving,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“Congestion on our roads is only going to get worse if we don’t increase our public transport mix. We need to start changing how we move around our city, and I’m proud that this Government is delivering light rail now, before congestion chokes our roads.

“The way we are delivering light rail – through a public private partnership – means we can actually spread the cost of the project over a 20-year period making it really affordable like any other project or service we deliver over many years. Light rail is not only great for our city, but it’s affordable.

“I can also reveal that the consortium building light rail has to achieve excellent outcomes for the community in line with key performance indicators before we make any payments, so the community can have confidence this will be a great addition to our public transport network.”

A range of construction activities will now commence, starting with utility relocation and protection. More visible construction, like track works and landscaping, will commence later in the year.

Construction will be undertaken to minimise disruption to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Standard construction hours for the project are expected to be between 7am and 6pm Monday to Saturday. Some work will be undertaken on Sundays and at night as needed to reduce the impact to traffic.

To minimise impacts on traffic movements, the route will be divided into six working zones and each zone will be subdivided into smaller construction areas. There will be a range of mitigation measures in place to reduce the impacts of construction, and the community will be provided updates before construction activities begin in each zone.

The sod turning took place today in Mitchell where the light rail depot site will be located. The Mitchell site will incorporate a stabling yard for light rail vehicles, a maintenance facility and the operations centre.

The light rail project is part of the ACT Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement.

The Canberra Times reported on the announcement here. 



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

ACT Auditor general commends Capital Metro Agency delivery of light rail project

The ACT Auditor General today released 'Report No. 5 of 2016 Initiation of the Light Rail Project' after conducting a review of the Light Rail process. It is an endorsement of the ACT Governments approach to the Capital Metro Stage One process and concludes that the project has been handled professionally, competently and legally. It also recommends ways to improve capturing the benefits of the project.

The full report can be downloaded from this link.

ACT Light Rail support the recommendation to create a Benefits Realisation Plan. For Canberra to truly appreciate and manage the benefits of light rail, significant thought needs to be given to :

• land development decisions
• integrating bus services with light rail
• park & ride development and promotion
• parking charges 
• value capture activities 
• traffic light signalling
• locating ACT Government staff in the corridor
• encouraging large scale employers to build new employment centres along the corridor

The Government has already indicated it has started planning for these things, and ACT Light Rail are confident that a formal plan may be announced. Transport and planning need to be administered in the same portfolio.

Ultimately, this report has silenced the critics and conspiracy theorists. The Auditor General confirms what many have suspected about the Capital Metro Stage One project, that it has been well planned, and well administered. Credit must be given to the Capital Metro Agency and the ACT Government.

The following are excerpts from the report:

Canberra celebrates as light rail contract signed for Capital Metro Stage One

Civic Plaza (proposed)

The signing of contracts between the ACT Government and the Canberra Metro consortium to construct and operate the first stage of Capital Metro has been received tremendously positively.

It has received wide media coverage online, on television, radio and the Canberra Times.

Minister Simon Corbell said the light rail contract also delivered additional features that would improve the way Canberrans make use of inner city spaces. A new area called Civic Plaza will create an accessible, usable and vibrant space between the Sydney and Melbourne buildings that will link the east and west sides of the CBD.
“With the new Civic Plaza we will create an area that brings people together in the middle of our city, bridging the gap between east and west,” Mr Corbell said.
“The upgraded Alinga Street terminus will give us a destination worthy of its place in the heart of the city and the dynamic lighting at stops along the route will add to the vibrancy of Canberra nights and will improve the experience of people using the corridor no matter which method they choose to travel.
“The artists impressions released today are just an example of how this space could be developed into a active and enjoyable community space.”
Mr Corbell said over the 20 years of the contract the annual availability payment, which includes operational costs such as electricity, drivers and maintenance as well as construction costs, would be approximately $48m in the first 12 months of operations and finish at approximately $75m for the last 12 months of the contract term in 2038, with an average annual availability payment of approximately $64m.
“Over its 20 year operations period this contract will account for less than 1 per cent of ACT Government expenditure,” Mr Corbell said.
“The Australian Government has also demonstrated its support by increasing its contribution to the project to $67 million.
“We are committed to building a city that continues to be one of the most liveable places in the world. The opportunity to build such a bold and visionary project shows that Canberra is a city of innovation, sustainable living and truly part of the global economy.”

The contract’s capital cost will be approximately $710 million, much less than the cost originally estimated in the business case for the project. This cost will be finalised when financial close for the project is reached in the coming weeks.
The ACT Government would be making a capital contribution of $375m towards the project in 2018-19. This $375m is funded from the sale of assets – such as ACTTAB, ageing public housing and ACT Government office accommodation – and includes a 15% bonus from the Commonwealth as part of the Asset Recycling Initiative, a sum of $60m that the Federal Liberal government recently announced would be increased to $67m solely for use on light rail.


The first stage of Canberra’s light rail network is an important part of the government’s integrated transport plan. As of July 1, the new Transport Canberra agency will coordinate buses and light rail planning, timetabling and fares and will develop a single ticket for use across the system, which will help to manage Canberra’s growth by reducing congestion on Canberra’s roads.

Figures for availability payments exclude territory contingency amounts and are approximate until the project reaches financial close in the coming weeks.

The Canberra Times reported on the announcement here.

ABC TV News Canberra broadcast this on 17 May 2016

WIN TV Canberra broadcast this on 17 may 2016

Simon Corbell posted this to Facebook: