Page 3719 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 28 October 2015

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congestion is destined to grow as new Gungahlin suburbs fill and Northbourne Avenue and Dickson become major residential centres. We cannot just keep jamming more and more buses and more and more cars on the route, which is the Canberra Liberals’ default position in lieu of a plan.

It is estimated that the first stage of light rail will remove the need for many of the buses that now ply the corridor, saving 1.2 million bus kilometres that could be used elsewhere. As the light rail network rolls out, there will be more bus capacity released to be used elsewhere in the suburbs. The light rail network plan lays the central framework for an efficient and integrated public transport network to support Canberra as it continues to grow. The plan explores how the light rail network could be expanded across Canberra in the future, in a way that best services our city. Light rail is being considered in Canberra’s busiest public transport corridors, where high capacity, high frequency rapid transit services are required.

The corridors beyond the first stage between Gungahlin to city include the parliamentary triangle, Woden to city, Tuggeranong to Woden, city to eastern connections, including the Canberra Airport and Fyshwick via Kingston, Kippax and Belconnen to city and Molonglo to city.

Canberrans are invited to comment on these routes and priorities. Of course, like you, Madam Deputy Speaker, I have great interest in the Kippax and Belconnen to city route. Should it arrive in the city by Barry Drive, as shown on the draft map? Perhaps alternatives have their merits. Perhaps joining the Belconnen line to the first stage at Northbourne via Macarthur Avenue, or via Ginninderra Drive and through to the Northbourne and Swinden Street intersection have a place in these considerations. Both of them have their merits. I look forward to comments from our community about what they would like to see in bringing light rail to Belconnen and Kippax.

Certainly, taking the other end of the line to Kippax recognises the growing population of that part of west Belconnen. With clever use of park and rides and some urban infill along the route I see great benefits for the residents of Belconnen. Likewise across the city, light rail and the integrated bus network promise to make this city even more livable and will better serve growing numbers of public transport users.

This is an exciting time to be in government in Canberra. We are steering Canberra into our second century and planning the future structure of the city. Sitting on our hands is not an option. Anyone who has experienced the horrors of traffic of some of our northern neighbours or even been jammed in traffic in Sydney at peak hour does not want that for Canberra. We know the city is growing. We know the toll that congestion will take on the city as it grows and it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars unless we act now.

Now is the time to start the light rail network as part of a plan over the next quarter century to address our transport needs with a sophisticated, integrated system of transport options that will realise the vision of Canberra as the most beautiful and livable of cities.


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