Page 4066 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 26 November 2014
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Turning to the specifics of Mr Coe’s question, I would simply state that what is well understood about the delivery of light rail projects is that they bring forward investment and productivity in areas that cannot be delivered through other types of transport infrastructure. This was most recently identified in the report from the Tourism and Transport Forum titled Better public transport. Better productivity. The economic return on public transport investment.
This report, produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the Tourism and Transport Forum, has highlighted that, in particular, investment in rail infrastructure has significant economic benefits, brings forward productivity, brings forward development along the public transport corridors in a way that other public transport infrastructure cannot and certainly in a way that road-based infrastructure cannot. There is very clear evidence about the benefits of investment in these types of infrastructure projects.
We continue to hear from those opposite assertions that this is simply about switching people from bus use to tram use. That is simply not the case. What we know is that there are significant benefits associated with light rail infrastructure that cannot be delivered by bus-based infrastructure. We know, on the academic evidence, that people do prefer to complete their public transport journey by light rail instead of bus and that it is a significant driver in convincing more people to move out of their cars into public transport.
We also know that the benefits associated with investment in light rail extend beyond those who use the service. They benefit across the transport infrastructure, and some of those savings are clearly identified in the government’s business case.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, specifically what are the benefits that can be attracted through light rail that cannot be attracted through other rapid transit?
MR CORBELL: I draw Mr Coe’s attention to my previous answer, which is that very clearly the capacity to attract people out of their cars and onto public transport is one of the real bonuses that you get from light rail. You get better modal shift. You bring forward development activity that would not otherwise occur. All of these benefits are outlined very clearly in the government’s business case. This business case has been put together in a very robust way, with very conservative assumptions, by world-leading experts in this area of infrastructure economic analysis. It is a level of analysis that the government stands by.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, could you tell us more about the benefits of the capital metro project, particularly to Belconnen residents in my electorate of Ginninderra?
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the supplementary. Of course, these are exactly the same questions that were asked of me by Mr Wall in a recent public
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