Page 3619 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 27 October 2015
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Mr Coe: How much was it?
MS BERRY: The member keeps interrupting, asking how much they were. He should have listened to my first answer. I will come back with the detail of that to the Assembly at a later stage.
Transport—public
MS FITZHARRIS: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, earlier today you announced a comprehensive plan to improve public transport for Canberrans. Could you outline to the Assembly the components of this plan?
MR BARR: I thank Ms Fitzharris for the question and for her interest in providing better public transport, particularly for Gungahlin residents but more broadly for residents of Canberra.
The public transport plan that we have announced today sets out how we will improve public transport in our city to make a more convenient, affordable, integrated and reliable public transport network for Canberrans, one that provides a genuine alternative to those who wish not to have to drive. Light rail and buses will work together within one agency, transport Canberra. This will ensure that our city’s public transport ticketing system will be one network and one ticket.
This plan sets out how we will achieve quality public transport that is convenient—to ensure quick and easy travel for Canberrans; affordable—so that everyone can share in the benefits, particularly those who rely on public transport the most; integrated—to provide a seamless travel experience across different modes of public transport, including ACTION buses and light rail; reliable—so that travellers can be confident they will get where they want when they want; and efficient—so that we can maximise the services that the community gets from this important public investment.
Transport Canberra will commence operation from 1 July 2016 to deliver on this public transport vision and to manage all of our city’s public transport operations. The agency will be responsible for implementing the one-ticket, one-fare, one network approach across ACTION and light rail services, for reallocating the more than one million bus kilometres saved every year from the first stage of light rail to increase bus services across our city, and to improve ACTION efficiency so that it has the resources to deliver a fundamentally better bus service.
Improvements will begin to the bus network right away, with the introduction of free wi-fi on buses to start this year. Bike racks will be added to more buses in the first half of 2016. In 2016 there will be a trial where weekend bus services are complemented by an on-demand taxi service to pick up travellers and to take them to join more frequent major bus routes.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
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