Page 3394 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 21 October 2014
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or bus—and discourage private transport for entire journeys into town centres; and promoting and prioritising active travel through the implementation of the transport for Canberra plan and master planning processes.
Modern transport infrastructure also brings people together. It connects them with their destinations, supports a more active lifestyle, greatly reduces emissions and encourages people to explore and interact with the city. There are significant health and social benefits that will come from better connectivity, accessibility, less time in cars, less pollution and more social interaction.
Canberra’s obesity rates have increased significantly in recent years. Light rail will support a more active lifestyle and reduce the time that we spend sitting in cars. Incidental exercise as part of a daily routine makes a big difference when multiplied across the city. Capital metro will play a big role in increasing active transport mode share for the journey-to-work trips to an estimated 30 per cent by 2031. Studies have shown that people will walk up to one kilometre to light rail stops, as opposed to 400 to 800 metres for buses.
When planned well, light rail networks can promote active transport through creating attractive, safe and efficient connections with walking and cycling networks. These connections have been a core aspect of the designs produced to date by the Capital Metro Agency. Light rail enhances public transport networks by providing a high-frequency, high-capacity spine that integrates closely with buses. Light rail will also integrate with park and ride facilities.
The first stage of light rail in Canberra will integrate with planned bus interchanges at Gungahlin, Mitchell and Dickson, in addition to connecting closely with the city bus interchange. Light rail will play a key role in encouraging transport-oriented development which facilitates less car use and more walking to local attractions and public transport. Evidence of this change is already evident in Harrison, Franklin and Gungahlin where higher density development is being embraced around the proposed light rail stops.
To reduce high car dependency and mitigate congestion impacts, Canberra needs an attractive public transport system that provides a frequent, reliable, integrated service that can attract people out of their cars. And by 2020, congestion will cost Canberra around $200 million every year and the Australian economy in excess of $20 billion per year.
There are also hidden costs of car dependency, such as health costs, greenhouse emissions and restricted access for those who do not own a car. This includes increased costs for car ownerships to households. Studies have shown that, for a second car, across the ACT it is about $7,340 a year. A recent study found that the average commuter in Perth and Brisbane could gain around 73 hours or two weeks annual leave, if you like, if they did not spend time in congestion.
Despite what you might read in the Canberra Times and hear from those opposite, the government continues to invest in roads infrastructure, including $500 million over the last six years on road-related capital expenditure and on building on our road
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