Page 3731 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021
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Stage 2 to Woden will provide more convenient and reliable transport options for people on the south side, helping to prevent future traffic gridlock and cut transport emissions, for a cleaner environment. In other words, it will provide significant long-term benefits for all Canberrans.
We are being up-front that what comes with that is some disruption to our road network in the short term during construction of the project. We expect that there will need to be lane closures and diversions in place for several years along some of the major approach roads into the city from the south side.
Analysis undertaken by TCCS has indicated that traffic capacity on Commonwealth Avenue could decrease from 5,200 vehicles per hour to as low as 1,100 vehicles per hour under a worst-case scenario. Commuters travelling on all other major arterials, like State Circle, Kings Avenue and Parkes Way, are likely to experience delays and unpredictable travel times during that period. Other routes from the Tuggeranong Parkway are also likely to see increased congestion as commuters divert from roads in central Canberra.
The ACT government is working proactively to limit this disruption where we can. We are upgrading the roundabout at the intersection of Coranderrk Street and Parkes Way, which will help to improve the capacity of this key intersection, which is already a bottleneck at the best of times. We have established a disruption task force to identify and implement other specific mitigation measures. We will be communicating with Canberrans early and often about what is happening.
We are committed to building light rail because it is about building a better public transport system. It will integrate with our bus system and help to provide more options for Canberrans to take public transport in the future.
What we have heard from the glass-jawed opposition is that they do not seem to be keen on taking feedback. The last several elections have been feedback enough that people want a better public transport system in this city. We are the only party, together with the Greens, that are committed to building light rail to Woden, building out our light rail system, which has shown so significantly its popularity and its ability to change people’s perceptions and behaviour in relation to public transport and more sustainable forms of travel.
On stage 1 of light rail, we saw huge numbers using the service prior to the pandemic, and we are hoping that when we can welcome people back we will again see large numbers using that service in the future. And when the service is extended to Woden, it will provide those same benefits for the south side.
The Liberals want to prevent everyone on the south side having access to the gold standard services people enjoy on the north side and to prevent the people on the south side accessing better public transport. We want to build a better public transport system, combined with an improved active travel network, building on more than 3,000 kilometres worth of shared paths and footpaths around the territory to give people more options, particularly during a period when there is going to be disruption, but beyond that to create a more vibrant, sustainable and connected city into the future.
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