Page 2947 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
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The level of patronage has exceeded all expectations along the corridor, with the number of public transport journeys starting in the district of Gungahlin being 32 per cent higher in June 2019 than in June 2018. More people are using public transport in that region, which is great to see, and patronage growth in the inner north has been very strong. Light rail now accounts for around 20 per cent of patronage of all Transport Canberra services across the city.
With a travel time of 24 minutes between Gungahlin and the city, the people of Canberra are taking the opportunity to use light rail, especially during peak periods, when services are running nearly full. People are saving money by not having to pay for car parking and saving time by being able to get to work quickly and efficiently. They are also responding to the great comfort of our light rail vehicles.
Transport Canberra has been responding to the increased patronage that we are seeing on light rail by putting on a range of additional services to meet the need. They include one additional service in the morning peak that runs from the light rail depot, commencing at the Nullabor stop, proceeding south to Alinga Street; two additional services between 3 pm and 4 pm to pick up students going northbound, resulting in eight services instead of six between 3 pm and 4 pm before the afternoon peak begins at 4 pm; and one additional service between 6 pm and 6.30 pm, increasing the frequency from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, on average, during that period.
As part of the motion—I really support Mr Pettersson’s advocacy on this issue; he knows well the number of people that are using the light rail every day—we will be exploring the possibility of permanently increasing these services, together with exploring the possibility of even more services during the very popular peak periods.
It is also pleasing to note that active travel has been integrated with light rail. It is providing an efficient link for Canberrans when they are taking journeys on the corridor. Many people are riding their bikes to the light rail stops and using the newly installed bike facilities. That includes on board on light rail. We have heard the comments that, with the number of people using them, sometimes there is not the space for bikes; additional services will help to accommodate those.
The urban renewal program which Mr Pettersson mentioned has been very significant along the corridor. We really are seeing the wider economic benefits of light rail stage 1 being realised. Many construction projects are nearing completion. When they come online, we expect that this will only add to the number of Canberrans that are using light rail every day.
Our light rail service is comfortable; it is functional; it is attractive for customers. These are the reasons why our government has invested in this service for Canberra. The system has been designed to be functional and modern, with specific consideration given to Canberra’s unique environment. To add to the safety of light rail stops, CCTV is operational, operating in conjunction with emergency help points that are located at all stops and within light rail vehicles.
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