Page 1585 - Week 04 - Thursday, 29 March 2012
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program in 2012 includes new facilities near College Street at the University of Canberra, near Cotter Road for Weston Creek residents and new Molonglo residents, the expansion of park and ride at Kippax to support the extension of Blue Rapid from later this year, and an expansion and relocation of a peak-hour park and ride at Calwell.
A feasibility study is also exploring potential future park-and-ride sites which may be constructed subject to feasibility, stakeholder and community input and future budget decisions. Areas in consideration include sites adjacent to Canberra Avenue, near Gungahlin town centre, in northern Belconnen suburbs, adjacent to Athllon Drive near Kambah and Wanniassa and near Yarra Glen at Curtin.
Over $1 million has been allocated to construct a new network of bike-and-ride cages. The first bike-and-ride cage opened at Belconnen community bus station at Flemington Road. Two additional cages—at Lyons, on Melrose Drive near Phillip pool, and at Mawson—were opened in 2011, and more are under consideration in 2012.
The government has spent $9.2 million over four years to improve walking and cycling facilities across Canberra, $2.5 million for the new bus station at Gungahlin and $2 million for bus stops and station improvements at the Civic bus interchange and city west, a $1.395 million upgrade to bus stops to meet disability standards.
Information is an important part of making public transport an easier way to travel. The government has invested $20.5 million over four years to deliver a real-time passenger information system which will improve certainty for public transport customers. Google Transit now enables easy trip planning by public transport and transport for Canberra plans for the development of a multi-modal trip planner that includes information on the location of bike and ride and park-and-ride facilities and shared paths.
The government is serious about improving public transport for Canberra, and these transport initiatives will make our city more sustainable, equitable and accessible. Transport and land use planning work together to ensure that new developments are public transport friendly and, in turn, more sustainable, making walking, cycling and public transport the easier travel choices.
Planning for the Molonglo valley is an example of this, designed with a public transport perspective from the outset. Molonglo valley has a single arterial road, John Gorton Drive, which forms the spine of the area on which group centres and major centres will be located. A simple, legible road network will enable buses to easily navigate their way through the valley, enabling public transport operators to provide an effective, frequent network. Similarly, East Lake is being designed as a sustainable development, with links with the rapid corridor on Canberra Avenue and a frequent local service through the centre of the new residential development. The government is planning transport and urban development together to enable Canberra to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
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