Page 2945 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
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Now is the time for our government to be responsive and increase the frequency of services. We want light rail to continue to be enjoyable and an easy journey, as it currently is, and that means responding to issues as they arise, increasing capacity as needed. We want to cultivate and develop light rail so that it is a world-class public transport system. This means constant monitoring and adapting.
After speaking with constituents, I think that increasing the frequency of services would help this issue. That is why I have put forward this motion today calling on the government to work with Canberra Metro to explore whether increasing the frequency of light rail services during peak periods can be implemented.
Light rail has been successful on a number of other metrics. Light rail has been delivered under budget with a saving of $108 million. This saving has increased the cost-benefit ratio to at least 1.3, meaning that for every dollar invested Canberrans get $1.30 in benefits: better transport, less congestion, increased value of homes and businesses and more jobs. Hopefully stage 2 of light rail can get underway soon so that these benefits are extended to other parts of our city.
There are many reasons for light rail’s popularity. Light rail is better for the environment, reducing our city’s reliance on petrol in favour of renewable energy. Light rail takes passengers from Gungahlin to the city in under 30 minutes because it has right of way with traffic lights, it moves quickly and efficiently, and it is faster than driving the same route in a car during peak times. It is easier to catch than other forms of public transport due to its frequency and set journey. It is also more accessible, with no step-up to get onto the vehicle, and priority seating for wheelchairs and prams. And you can get a bike on there as well. All these great benefits mean that more and more people are choosing to use light rail.
Gungahlin is one of the fastest growing areas in the country and in the ACT. We have new suburbs developing, and the population is going to continue growing. The density of housing along the light rail corridor will also increase, with more apartments and townhouses replacing older houses and apartments as more Canberrans want to live closer to that transport corridor.
These population pressures are why building light rail in the first place was such an important policy decision to ensure that these areas remain great places to live. Given that passenger numbers are only going to grow, it is clear that increasing the frequency of services is going to be needed to transport passengers efficiently and quickly.
Long commute times and uncomfortable journeys negatively impact workers and communities. Studies have shown that long commutes impact worker productivity and job satisfaction. I have got no doubt that a long and uncomfortable journey does even more so. Long commutes reduce the time workers have for exercise, social activities, community engagement and family time. This can have a negative impact, both physical and mental. This issue is something that the ACT government has been mindful of and it is why the ACT government is implementing a transport plan that is ready for Canberra’s future as our city continues to grow.
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