Page 380 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 16 February 2016
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goal of winning new public transport customers. Key to this goal will be strengthening our understanding of what customers want and how they would like to use our transport system.
Today I am pleased to announce that we will be undertaking a comprehensive customer survey over April and May to inform our strategic planning for transport Canberra. We want to hear from the community about our public transport system. In particular, we are keen to learn more about how we can encourage more Canberrans to start using public transport.
Of course, the ACT government is already enacting important customer service initiatives when it comes to public transport, like ACTION’s performance dashboard that provides regularly updated data on reliability and on-time running and the 12-month trial of free wi-fi on five ACTION buses.
As minister I will continue to actively explore innovations across our transport system. For example, there are other exciting developments in public transport ticketing technology such as fare payments with e-wallets on smart phones, and integrating other functionality into the accounts that sit behind our ticketing system. We will explore new and innovative systems, with transport Canberra responsible for introducing a new, integrated ticketing system across buses and light rail.
Public transport is and always will be central to a well-functioning modern city. Also key, however, to any integrated transport network will be our high quality road network and our walking and cycling infrastructure. As minister, I will seek to ensure that we get the balance right, but that we remain clear eyed about the future of our transport network. We must ensure the road network in our growth areas is able to reasonably carry the capacity of its population, as older parts of our city have done. Our future is not, however, in more and wider roads that lead to more congestion. Our future is in an integrated transport system that enables choice for Canberrans.
Canberrans will make decisions for their preferred mode of transport at different times or circumstances in their lives. Many Canberrans will continue to own cars, as well as catch buses, catch light rail or walk or cycle. For example, while young families with drop-offs at child care and primary school may well need cars, if they cannot afford one or do not want one, we need to improve our system for them. As their children age, parents will value highly a reliable, safe and integrated public transport system that will enable their kids to travel to school, for leisure or for part-time work. As we take the burden off our road network, it will be freed up for those people who need to drive. I am confident that the ACT Labor government is setting in place the long-term strategies and investment in public transport that will support Canberra’s growth.
Another of this government’s key priorities is urban renewal and the reinvigoration of our suburbs. The ACT government manages and maintains the public spaces at 89 local shopping centres. These shopping centres are close to the hearts of many Canberrans. Our shopping centre upgrade program is focused on improving these community hubs. This ongoing investment creates safe, accessible and welcoming public spaces, which contribute to revitalising local centres and their commercial viability. Throughout this financial year, seven local shops are being upgraded, designed in consultation with the local community, traders and leaseholders.
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