Page 1448 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017
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focus in this term of government and you will see a first down payment on that in the territory budget next month.
Transport—light rail
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services and relates to the current consultation on route options and stops for stage 2, light rail, city to Woden. Minister, how would the stage 2 option to terminate at the hospital impact on future stages to Mawson and Tuggeranong, given that the network planned for Woden town centre to Tuggeranong settled on Athllon Drive alignment via Mawson?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Ms Le Couteur for her question and her ongoing support for an integrated transport system, notably, of course, a light rail network. Certainly it was very pleasing to start the work of consulting with the community on stage 2 of light rail with stage 1 so well underway. It was very pleasing that on the back of last year’s decisive election win and decisive support for light rail in Canberra that we have been able to go out to the community with some proposed future routes.
There is, as Ms Le Couteur notes, within the two options an option to also extend from the Woden town centre to Canberra Hospital. There is an ongoing and long period of time with a number of pieces of work that involve community consultation, technical advice and technical expertise. That is well underway also through Transport Canberra and City Services. Before we determine the final route we will continue to talk with the community about the stage 2 route as well as implement over the longer term the full light rail network plan.
Some of the questions which are being asked today are, of course, questions worth asking, but we are not able to answer all questions related not only to stage 2 but also to the entire light rail network right now, but we will continue to have discussions with the community.
MS LE COUTEUR: How much longer will it take the light rail service to get from the city to Woden, or vice versa, if the Barton option—National Circuit, Barton—goes ahead?
MS FITZHARRIS: In relation to the package of works that was announced in the context of the midyear review—the $7 million which was allocated earlier this year—there are nine packages of work underway. All nine of those tenderers have been appointed. Work is underway to determine patronage and travel time, in addition to other work as part of that $7 million package which will include engineering advice, community consultation and engagement advice, as well as costing models and some preliminary procurement advice, all of which will be part of the input into the business case that the government develops.
MR STEEL: Minister, what has the response been from the community in relation to consultation on stage 2?
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