Page 5183 - Week 12 - Thursday, 27 October 2011
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frequent network; and an environmentally friendly fleet, with modern ticketing, real-time passenger information and efficient and accessible network planning.
I note Mr Coe’s critique of the issues around MyWay ticketing. But, in fact, the MyWay ticketing system has been an enormous success. It has been rolled out relatively smoothly for such a complex operation. We have not seen the types of problems we have seen, for example, with the myki technology in Melbourne or, indeed, with other technology in other state capitals. So it has been a very effective rollout.
This is in marked contrast to the absurd proposals and legacy we had from the Liberal Party when they were last in government, where they put in place in a city the size of Canberra three zones so that people had to pay more if they were travelling from Tuggeranong into the city compared to if they were just travelling within Tuggeranong, or more again if they were travelling from Tuggeranong into the city and then to Belconnen or Gungahlin. They actually had to pay three times to go across three different zones. That was the Liberal Party’s last attempt in relation to the efficient scheduling and ticketing process for ACTION, and it was an unmitigated disaster which this government had to repeal on its election to office in 2001. That is exactly what we proudly did. We got rid of the absurd, bureaucratic, zonal system which the Liberals last had a go at when last they had their hands on the levers.
This government is also focused on improving bus stations and other public transport infrastructure, the development of bus priority lanes and traffic signal priority and better connections for people transferring to a second bus. Indeed, this is a key issue for me as we move forward in transport for Canberra—giving guarantees about how long people should expect to wait before they get that vital connection either into or out of the suburbs. We are focused on flexible community transport for low demand areas, and a transport system that can be adapted to mass public transit, with work already in train in relation to the possibility of light rail or bus rapid transit along the Northbourne Avenue and Gungahlin to city corridors.
I would like to talk a bit more about this very important project. The new Northbourne Avenue transport corridor study is an important part of creating a better public transport system for Canberra and will build on the significant public transport planning and projects that Dr Bourke has already outlined in his speech.
The government first commissioned studies on mass rapid transit in 2004, and four corridors—Tuggeranong to the city via Woden, Belconnen to city, Gungahlin to city via Flemington Road and Northbourne Avenue and a parliamentary zone-Manuka loop—were identified as possible stages for mass rapid transit.
As these corridors have become more defined, and bus priority measures installed; the government has never lost sight of the potential for light rail along these same corridors. In setting up a corridor planning study, we now want to find out how a mass rapid transit system could be introduced and developed in stages along the corridor while still achieving our environmental, economic and social objectives.
Northbourne Avenue forms the main gateway into the territory from the Federal and Barton highways. It is a busy road, being the major north-south arterial servicing the
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