Page 2944 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
modern, progressive and liveable city. Light rail was a key election promise for our government and it is an example of our commitment to sustainable planning for Canberra’s future. Clearly, Gungahlin and inner north residents are also big fans of light rail.
At peak times during people’s daily commute, light rail vehicles are often at capacity. That is why I am calling on the government to explore the viability of increasing light rail services during this time. More services will reduce crowding and ensure that light rail use continues to grow.
Light rail has been extremely popular since journeys began, a clear endorsement of our vision for Canberra. The first month of free travel encouraged many Canberrans to try public transport for the first time or maybe even return to it. Light rail’s popularity has continued since the free period ended. In comparison to this time last year, public transport use to and from Gungahlin and the city has increased by 32 per cent. Public transport use over the weekend has increased by a third, as passengers use the light rail to visit cafes, see friends or, in my case, as I fessed up to earlier today, to hit the town. Given that light rail still runs every 15 minutes over the weekend, it is a viable alternative to using a car.
Across the entire transport network, 20 per cent of all boardings are now on a light rail service. This shows that new passengers are now taking public transport that previously did not. This reduces congestion on roads and car parking in the city, a flow-on effect that benefits Canberrans who do not catch light rail.
This rapid increase in use of public transport and adoption of light rail has exceeded expectations. Since the commencement of services, on average 15,125 passengers catch light rail every day. These passenger numbers mean that light rail has already passed the estimated patronage expected by 2021 in the original business case. This clearly shows that light rail is a hugely popular service and that Canberrans want bold, large-scale infrastructure projects.
Given this success, Canberra Metro has already increased the length of the peak period as well as adding additional services for school students in the afternoon. This early response to the above-expected passenger numbers is a good thing as it is clear that the service can respond to growth in passenger numbers, something that will only continue as more and more residents move into Gungahlin and along the corridor. However, I think that, given the popularity of light rail, we need more services across peak times.
I have had numerous constituents raise this issue with me. They love light rail but they find that busy period overcrowded, which can make commuting less comfortable. During these peak times, light rail vehicles are sometimes at capacity and passengers must squish in. Passengers have sometimes had to wait for the next light rail vehicle because the one in front of them was full. This means that whilst a light rail vehicle arrives every six minutes many passengers can wait longer because the vehicle in front of them has reached capacity. Increasing the frequency of light rail vehicles during this time would help alleviate this issue by reducing crowding and ultimately the wait time.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video