Page 3593 - Week 11 - Thursday, 23 October 2014
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Light rail is a major step forward for public transport; it’s an absolute transformation for public transport [in our city]. … It will power … commuters into the future, helping to reduce congestion into the city … and manage population growth. … It will inject a real dynamic into the city.
Next:
It can move many more people in one way than any number of buses and cars.
And the third quote I have is:
Light rail [is part of a] congestion-busting agenda.
Those are some quotes from Liberal Party leaders in other states about Perth, Sydney and Newcastle. Those Liberals, of course, are not in opposition; so they have not decided they must oppose light rail at all costs. Instead, they are trying to make decisions for the future of their respective cities.
I will take the opportunity to list some of the benefits of light rail and how it will contribute to the livability of our city. Firstly, light rail is of course a transport benefit for the ACT. With the Gungahlin to Civic line, we are looking at a travel time on light rail of about 25 minutes at peak hour, with a 10-minute frequency from 7 am to 7 pm. Currently the car trip from Gungahlin to the city can be a lengthy journey. We know that Northbourne Avenue is considered to be the most congested road in the ACT. As Ms Berry noted, by 2031 the average travel time by car without light rail is expected to be almost one hour.
The predictions are for light rail to increase public transport usage significantly. By 2031 we are looking at an almost 100 per cent increase in public transport passengers in this corridor, including around a 200 per cent increase in passengers during off peak times and the pm peak.
We know that generally light rail is much better at attracting passengers than buses. People like light rail, they like its fixed nature, the fact that it is quiet and comfortable. For the purpose of project assessment it is sensible of course to stick to the clinical and conservative passenger estimations, but I am certainly optimistic that when the light rail opens we might see even more passengers than expected, as has occurred with other recent light rail projects.
The Canberra light rail project is a major investment in public transport, which is also a sustainable form of transport. In this way it helps correct the historical de-prioritisation of public transport in our city that has seen it grow into one of Australia’s most car-dependent capitals. This is not, by the way, because of Walter Burley Griffin planning Canberra to be a car city, which some people have spuriously suggested. Griffin planned Canberra to have trams running down its wide boulevards.
Car dependency in fact isolates people, sprawls our city, leads to congestion problems and fuel vulnerability, and even hits the hip-pocket of Canberrans, especially those who are already economically vulnerable. Studies conducted by transport researchers
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