Page 3623 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 27 October 2015
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MRS JONES: Minister, will you get approval from the National Capital Authority to remove the trees and flagpoles on Commonwealth Avenue?
MR GENTLEMAN: That is a bit of a hypothetical question. I do not see that we need to remove the—
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MR GENTLEMAN: For a start, there are no trees on Commonwealth Avenue bridge. There are flagpoles on either side. We will certainly work through those processes as we deliver the best possible routes for the community of the ACT in their commute to the parliamentary triangle. We know that it is a service that is needed across the lake. Of course, once we get to the parliamentary triangle we intend to look at moving further south to Woden and, indeed, Tuggeranong, in the future. That is shown in the indicative light rail master plan.
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MR GENTLEMAN: That is shown in the indicative routes in the light rail master plan. And now, of course, we have the opportunity to talk to the community about where they would like to see these light rail routes come past and close to their suburbs.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, is the preference for the track to be median or curb side aligned and, if curb side, will it be taking up a lane of traffic?
MR GENTLEMAN: The engineering opportunities for the two bridges which I think Mr Coe is alluding to would mean that we could take that track across the bridge. It would be an engineering solution to use one of the lanes but that would mean that light rail would have to integrate with the traffic flow across the bridge. We will take the engineers’ best surveys on that and decide which way is possible, as we hear back from the community on what they would like to see as well.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, have you done any provisional capital construction costs or operating costs for such a fanciful network?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Coe for his supplementary question. A master plan does not look at costs in the future. It is about planning indicative routes. As we do with master plans for every other opportunity across the territory, we will look at the master planning process to give indicative ideas to those areas and show what can be done with future development. And we involve the community. That is the important part of the light rail master plan—an innovative transport network—
Opposition members interjecting—
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