Page 2753 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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Active travel is another option for the daily commute, and there is an opportunity to help our environment, your budget and your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing, all while getting yourself from A to B.
The ACT government has been committed to improving transport options around Canberra for many years and, while we might not have our own Harry Potter story yet, it is clear that we are reaping the benefits in other ways. We have some of the lowest weekly travel times in the whole country. Our ease of movement is an important factor that sees us consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world. Part of this is due to our size, but it is also greatly aided by public transport and active travel networks that are effectively supporting our city.
In my own electorate of Ginninderra, the suburbs are well served by a number of bus routes reaching from the outer suburbs through the town centre and on to the city and beyond. During peak hour, you usually will not have to wait any more than 15 minutes between buses, and often less. To top it off, our buses are clean and safe, and my bus drivers always have been quick with a smile. It is an all-round pleasant experience every time.
Our wide streets, vast footpath network and clean air also lend themselves to an active and healthy lifestyle. As you know, we are the cycling capital of Australia, and we continue to leverage our outdoors advantage as the bush capital. We established the active travel office in 2015 to guide active travel developments across the city, and in recent years we have seen improvements to the inner north bike path, widening of footpaths on Northbourne Avenue, age-friendly upgrades in Kaleen and Monash, and new biking facilities around town. And we are only just getting started.
Enter light rail. Fast, reliable and powered by renewable energy, light rail will be a defining feature of the Canberra of the future. As the main road arteries into the city slow down with our growing population, light rail will provide an attractive option for commuters. Once stage 1 is complete, peak hour will be easy for those along the city-Gungahlin route. Show up at a stop and a light rail vehicle will be along to collect you within six minutes. Travel times will be reliable and vehicles will be equipped with modern comfort.
We are investing $2.1 million on an integrated ticketing system that will allow contactless and mobile phone payments, so ticketing should be no barrier to travel, with seamless transfers and modern payment options. And our bus network is being remodelled to ensure a fully integrated service once light rail comes online.
We are already seeing the benefits of this transformed project as it creates new economic opportunities and jobs in our city. Local construction workers, tradies, professional services and plant and material providers are all contributing to this project. The ripple effects have also been significant. Urban renewal is underway along the Northbourne corridor, with new residential developments and commercial opportunities cropping up at a rate of knots. These projects, too, are contributing to our economy and helping to meet the growing housing demand.
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