Page 2552 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
(a) report back to the Assembly on the scope and methodology of the 12 month review by November 2019; and
(b) table a copy of the 12-month review in the Assembly by May 2020.”.
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (5.21): As we look to begin light rail stage 2, I think it is important that we review stage 1 to learn the lessons of the project. We have seen the delivery report and the business impact assessment, but I think everyone is eagerly awaiting a 12-month review. It goes without saying that building a huge infrastructure project such as this, along a busy and populated area of our city, is bound to throw a few curve balls, both in the construction and in the rollout.
The light rail project delivery report, released in June, outlines the successes of the project but also the areas that need some improvement. The delivery report raised numerous issues we must be mindful of for stage 2. Safety, the impact on businesses, communicating road closures and managing passenger numbers are just a few that I think need attention.
I turn first to safety. The report found that generally there was an increase in safety incidents after holidays, construction breaks and long weekends. Put simply, there should be no incidents; let us do better next time. Second, the report noted that whilst the project implemented an engagement program to coordinate with affected businesses, there are areas for improvement to reduce impact on businesses during the construction period. Gungahlin and Mitchell businesses did it tough through the construction period. Let us figure out how to do better. Finally, from the huge success of the first weeks of light rail opening, we have learnt to more effectively manage the passenger numbers. Let us hope that continues to stage 2.
I turn to a couple of my personal observations. It is hard to miss how popular light rail is. Whilst the construction of the light rail could be tedious, especially when stuck in peak hour trying to get out of Gungahlin in the morning, it has clearly been worth the inconvenience. Light rail is a fantastic addition to our city and an example of the bold, transformative vision this government has to make Canberra an even better place to live.
Our Labor government has implemented a key plank of the Burley Griffin plan for our city. Since light rail began taking passengers this year, it has been a resounding success. The free transport month was a fantastic initiative as it encouraged people who have never caught public transport before to try out Canberra’s upgraded system. Already, this month light rail passed its one millionth passenger milestone.
This has already exceeded the government’s expectations for passenger numbers. This shows how Canberrans, in Gungahlin and in the inner north, are embracing light rail and incorporating it into their commute. We have seen an increase in the number of people using public transport, with 32 per cent more passengers taking public transport than this time last year. This success led Canberra Metro to increase the length of the peak time services for light rail, a clear indicator of its popularity.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video