Page 1203 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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Transport—light rail
MR COE (Ginninderra) (3.41): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes regarding light rail:
(a) there will be minimal demand for light rail against the peak hour traffic flow and during off-peak times;
(b) other routes in a potential ACT-wide network were not considered prior to an announcement on Gungahlin to the City;
(c) the timeframe and $614 million cost could blow-out considerably given the Government’s track-record of delivering capital works;
(d) the cost of financing the project is likely to be significant;
(e) the operational cost is not yet known;
(f) land on the light rail corridor could be developed independent of light rail;
(g) the Government’s own economic analysis suggests that bus rapid transit will offer a better economic return; and
(h) the proposed route does not serve different parts of the CBD, Convention Centre or the Airport; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) abandon the current light rail project but preserve the corridors for possible future use; and
(b) consider alternative ways to improve private and public transport between Gungahlin and the City, and other parts of the City.
The opposition has strong concerns about the light rail project. We believe these concerns are representative of the community at large.
Whilst there is no doubt that the vast majority of people like the idea of hopping on a tram to go from point A to point B, unfortunately point A and point B may not correlate with those of people living in Canberra.
Madam Assistant Speaker, $614 million is a lot of money to spend on a project which has been poorly thought out. Is the government not concerned that the commonwealth government under Julia Gillard reviewed this project and said no? In January 2013, Infrastructure Australia said in relation to the ACT government’s request for $15 million for a study—not construction, just a study:
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