Page 3040 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 23 September 2014
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MR CORBELL: It is the case that in relation to access to the Yowani Country Club there will need to be modification to their entrance off Northbourne Avenue. It is proposed that that be achieved through the establishment of a new intersection at the existing intersection of Swindon Street and Northbourne Avenue. That will enable access both into and out of the Yowani Country Club through a signalised intersection. Those changes have been subject to a level of public disclosure already and consultation with the communities, and that will be ongoing as we progress the project.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, how many sets of new traffic lights will be installed so the light rail can operate?
MR CORBELL: The project involves the relocation of some existing intersections, such as the one I have just mentioned, as well as the creation of new controlled intersections. In terms of the net gain, I would have to seek some advice from capital metro, so I will take that particular aspect on notice.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, what impact on private vehicle travel times do you anticipate these new traffic lights will have?
MR CORBELL: The analysis that the government has undertaken to date is that investing in light rail will actually maintain or reduce—a further diminution of—travel times along Northbourne Avenue compared to the business-as-usual base case. What we know is that the business-as-usual base case for travel along Northbourne Avenue, if there is no public transit intervention, will see travel times increase to approximately 55 minutes for the journey from Gungahlin to the city in the morning peak. So that is the base case that we are seeking to address. Without intervention, Canberrans will see a significant increase in their travel time along this corridor during the morning peak to approximately 55 minutes by the year 2030. That is an unacceptable level of increasing congestion and that is why the government is making the strategic investment in better public transport along the corridor. Better public transport along the corridor, as I have said in this place previously, does not just benefit public transit users—
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Jones, that is not helpful.
MR CORBELL: but it benefits the private motorist as well. It benefits everyone who uses that part of the transport network. The really important point that those opposite fail to grasp when it comes to this project is that everybody wins when there is better investment in public transport. The people who use public transport get a better journey. The people who use their cars get a better journey compared to doing nothing
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