ACT Light Rail

Alistair Coes Capital Metro questions answered - 8 weeks later

2013-05-01T15:52:00.002+10:00

At the meeting with Shadow Minister for Transport, MLA Alistair Coe last week, Mr Coe provided us with a copy of the answers he had received from Minister Corbell to the Questions on Notice that he had asked back in February (note that these answers were received in April). People with an interest in light rail in the ACT will find this useful, so I am publishing those questions and answers here (as I cant find them on Hansard).

Capital Metro - Our Assembly discusses it - Hansard April 2013

2013-04-24T16:40:00.004+10:00

As ACT Light Rail suggested in our previous post, the ACT Government are not very effective in communicating with the public about the work occurring on the Capital Metro light rail project. We present more Hansard, for your analysis. In answers to the questions asked, the Minister discusses the composition of the agency to oversee Capital Metro and the governance of the project.

This debate occurred in April and can be found at http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2013/pdfs/P130409.pdf

Transport—light rail

DR BOURKE: My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development. Minister, can you tell the Assembly how the light rail project already committed to by the government ties in with the city plan and the city to the lake plans announced last month.

MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for his question. One of the main themes of the city plan released for public comment last month is transport and movement— providing multiple modes of transport, supporting sustainable growth and improving access and movement within the city centre. An important aim of the plan is to ensure that the transport needs of the community are integrated into it. The boundaries and directions of the city plan will be influenced by a number of major initiatives, including the capital metro project, the analysis along Northbourne Avenue, the Constitution Avenue upgrade and the broader city to the lake proposals. The objective of the city plan is to unlock the potential of Canberra’s city centre and better integrate it with public transport, with residential development and with better recreation spaces, and link also to the important economic and social drivers of the ANU and the CIT campuses.

The capital metro project sits very well within this overall framework. Indeed, decisions about capital metro will inform the way the city grows and develops, and its overall planning framework, and vice versa. Capital metro, as members will know, is at this stage intended to terminate on Northbourne Avenue at a terminus between Alinga and Bunda streets. In line with the government’s commitment to a future Canberra-wide network, future stages are anticipated to connect through the city to points south of the lake or points to the east, or both, such as Kingston via Barton; Woden; Tuggeranong; and so on.

The city plan therefore provides us with the opportunity to understand how the capital metro project will mesh with development in the city centre. We need to look, for example, at how we treat some important roads like London Circuit and Vernon Circle. The National Capital Authority, in its Griffin legacy amendments to the national capital plan, has set out what it believes is necessary for the future use of those two important streets. The government will now have to consider how the extension of the capital metro project in future stages engages with London Circuit or Vernon Circle. These are the types of issues that the government will be paying very close attention to.

We also need to appreciate, of course, that if certain uses are ultimately decided as appropriate for parts of the city centre, such as a new convention centre or a new city stadium, there will need to be adequate provision of effective and efficient public transport to move large numbers of people quickly to and from those locations. Once again, the capital metro project and the work that is currently underway in relation to it will help inform how the city plan and the city to the lake project work together to achieve something that I think we should all be supportive of, and that is a more active, a more vibrant, city centre that takes best advantage of its best address, which is Lake Burley Griffin.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.

DR BOURKE: Minister, how will a light rail system contribute to the development

of our city in its second century?

MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for his supplementary. What is important about this project is to understand that it is not just a project around transport provision, as critical and as important as it is. It is also an important project in the context of the development of our city—where development takes place, where people choose to live. If we are able to leverage the potential of a light rail project in the way many other cities have around the world, we will see many more people choosing to live close to this corridor.

That changes the pattern of settlement for the city. It potentially has implications as to how rapidly and how quickly greenfields development occurs over the coming period compared to a business as usual situation. It means that potentially more people are choosing to live in apartments, townhouses, row housing and so on close to a highly efficient, permanent and rapid public transport spine.

These are the types of issues that we need to have regard to when we look at the overall cost-effectiveness of a business plan around the capital metro project. It is not just about moving people; it is also about leveraging development opportunity, changing and potentially more efficiently delivering forms of development that meet people’s need and that are more efficient for the territory to deliver.

These are the types of issues at stake. That is why I am proud to be part of a government that is prepared to take this step, to make the shift, towards a more sustainable future and towards a future that focuses on transit through light rail as a

key tool in leveraging not just better public transport for people but also a more sustainable form of development across the city.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.

MR COE: Minister, how much has been spent to date on light rail and how much do

you expect the total project to cost taxpayers?

MR CORBELL: I note that Mr Coe has asked this of me in a question on notice. I am pleased to advise Mr Coe that I have the answer to his question. $913,000 was spent in 2011-12 and to date $76,000 has been spent in 2012-13.

MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Berry.

MS BERRY: Minister, how is the Capital Metro project proceeding since you

announced it last September?

MR CORBELL: Again, I thank Ms Berry for her supplementary. Significant work has been undertaken within government to set the framework and the groundwork for governance and oversight of this very important project. Given the complexity of the project, the government has agreed to the establishment of a Capital Metro agency to be established from 1 July this year, which will be overseen by a project board. The government has agreed that I will be the responsible minister for this project.

The agency will be headed by a project director, who will directly report to the board. The board will be a decision-making one concentrating on strategic issues relating to the successful progression of the project. The government is currently in the process of recruiting a project director to lead the new agency and a suitably qualified person to chair the board.

In the interim, a senior executive of the ACT government service has carriage of the project, ensuring that the necessary financial, legal, governance and administrative arrangements are set in place in the initial life of the new agency. We will soon be undertaking detailed risk analysis to understand and manage the risks presented by the project and identify appropriate mitigation strategies.

We have begun coordination of research for what will become the property strategy for the corridor, recognising the significant redevelopment potential along the corridor. The government is also in the process of developing a land release model that is able to quickly react to market requirements, attentive to social and environmental impacts of urban renewal along the corridor.

Work is also underway on a range of preliminary engineering investigations, transport planning, and economic and financing studies. This highlights that the government is getting on with the job of delivering on this important election commitment and implementing a strong and robust governance framework to guide the future development of the project.

Capital Metro - debate in the Assembly Feb 2013

2013-04-24T16:31:00.002+10:00

ACT Light Rail do not think that the ACT Government have been effective with their communications strategy regarding developments in the Capital Metro light rail project. There is a great deal of information in this Hansard record of debate in our Legislative Assembly. Rather than opine on it, we offer it in full for your own analysis.

The response by Minister Corbell is particularly informative. The questions that Mr Coe posed were answered recently, and will be placed online shortly.

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2013 Week 2 Hansard (13 February) Page 540 to 549

http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2013/week02/540.htm

Transport—light rail

MR COE (Ginninderra) (6.09): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes the Government's commitment to construct light rail; and

(2) calls on the Government to table by the last sitting day in February:

(a) the expenditure to date, broken down by financial year, on external sources including consultancies, reports and studies;

(b) the internal expenditure to date, broken down by financial year, on internal sources and the number of public service staff working on the project and in what agencies;

(d) the expected cost to taxpayers of pre-construction and construction;

(e) the predicted patronage, running costs and staffing once operational;

(f) the population within reasonable walking distance of a light rail stop;

(g) plans for park and ride facilities;

(h) the financial models for funding the project; and

(i) what feedback was received from Infrastructure Australia as a result of the 2008-09 federally funded proposal.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to ask serious questions about the Labor-Greens commitment to construct light rail in Canberra.

In early November last year, following the agreement signed by the Chief Minister and Shane Rattenbury, the government undertook to review light rail in the ACT. Mr Rattenbury is quoted in the Canberra Times on 3 November last year as saying:

Light rail will come to this city as a result of this agreement. Canberrans will see works commence during the course of this term of the assembly.

We in the opposition will be scrutinising this agreement and, in particular, from my perspective as shadow minister for transport, the commitment to construct light rail.

The thought of light rail in Canberra is not a new proposition. Of course, Walter Burley Griffin designed Canberra with wide boulevards to provide for private vehicle traffic, many with space for the provision of a bus way or tramway at a later point in time. Since those days of the early development of Canberra, light rail has been considered countless times as an alternative transport mode in the city.

Today, the cause has many passionate advocates—such as ACT Light Rail, convened by Damien Haas. It is my belief that people like the idea of light rail, but the realities of the cost of construction, patronage and running costs are still major hurdles that need to be overcome.

In the 2008 election, the Canberra Liberals undertook that if we won the election and won government we would conduct an engineering study to provide more information about the feasibility of construction. After all, it is very difficult to do a cost-benefit study if neither the costs nor the benefits are known.

I believe the government has jumped the gun by giving an absolute guarantee to Canberra to construct light rail before the all the facts are known. The government has not committed to simply doing studies, research or costings. It has committed to delivering light rail in Canberra. This is a bold and courageous commitment and one I think it will struggle to honour.

The Labor Party said in media releases:

If re-elected, ACT Labor has committed to establish Canberra's first large-scale private sector partnership to plan, finance and develop the first stage of a light rail network starting from Gungahlin to the City.

The opposition have already flagged serious concerns about the cost and patronage of light rail, and we want to see evidence. If the opposition are to support the government in this endeavour, like all issues, the case has to be made.

My motion today is about this case. The government should deliver to the opposition—and, through the Assembly, all Canberrans—information about the project. I have asked for the expenditure to date on external and internal sources, the time line for the decision-making and construction process, the expected cost to taxpayers of pre-construction and construction, the predicted patronage, running costs and staffing once operational, the population within reasonable walking distance of light rail stops, the plans for park-and-ride facilities, the financial models for funding the project, and what feedback was received from Infrastructure Australia as a result of the 2008-09 federally funded proposal, which failed. These are all reasonable questions to ask and they should be able to be answered.

In the current budget, the government states:

The City to Gungahlin Transit Corridor Study is currently investigating the feasibility of replacing the existing bus service between Gungahlin and the City with a light rail transit or bus rapid transit corridor along Northbourne Avenue and Flemington Road.

So work has been done and is being done, but we have not got answers. The questions I propose in this motion I think should be able to be answered. If not, I would like a reason why not. Taxpayers deserve the information and I hope this motion will achieve this.

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (6.13): I move:

Omit paragraphs (1) and (2), substitute:

"(1) notes that the ACT Government is committed to delivering the Capital Metro project for Canberra;

(2) notes that:

(a) construction of a light rail network will be one of the biggest and most complex capital works projects undertaken in the ACT;

(b) the construction of a light rail network in Canberra will bring major benefits to the people of Canberra and will be a transformative project for our City;

(c) the Capital Metro project will improve transport access and mobility for the community, especially through its integration with the broader transport network;

(d) the Capital Metro project will deliver environmental benefits via emissions reductions through mode shift from private vehicles to public transport; and

(e) the Capital Metro project will be a catalyst for urban renewal along the corridors and in our town centres; and

(3) notes that:

(a) the Government is committed to a high level of transparency and will progressively release information about the Capital Metro project as it is developed;

(b) a substantial body of work has already been undertaken to inform the progress of Capital Metro, including the Concept Design Report and strategic transport modelling and economic and financial appraisal;

(c) the Government is committed to continuing its thorough planning and investigations including such studies as the Light Rail Integration Study, for which tenders have now been called, and the Light Rail Product Identification Study to be commenced in April this year;

(d) the Government has released an indicative timeline through the Concept Design Report and has committed to laying the first light tracks by 2016 through the Parliamentary Agreement;

(e) the people of Canberra will be given many opportunities to be involved in this project as it progresses, through an ongoing program of public consultation; and

(f) the Government will continue to work to achieve a long term vision for Canberra as a sustainable city, with the Capital Metro light rail network as a vital element of that vision.".

I am pleased to speak today on the government's commitment to delivering a light rail system for Canberra. The government has committed to progressing a light rail network for Canberra, with construction to commence in 2016 and preliminary construction, including utility relocation, to occur from 2015.

The government's commitment to the delivery of rapid transit links between the Gungahlin town centre and the city was first announced in the 2012-13 budget. This commitment was reaffirmed during the most recent ACT election and its priority entrenched in the parliamentary agreement for the Eighth Assembly between the ACT Labor Party and the ACT Greens.

Capital metro stage 1 will be a light rail service, with vehicles capable of carrying up to 200 people at regular frequencies along a 12-kilometre route from Hibberson Street in Gungahlin to the city centre. The proposal involves potentially major stations at Gungahlin town centre and Dickson group centre, with high-quality stops 750 metres to 1.5 kilometres apart at various points along Flemington Road and Northbourne Avenue, terminating in the city.

Investment in rapid transit along the Gungahlin to city corridor, through the additional transport capacity and urban amenity benefits it would provide, has the potential to unlock a number of economic development opportunities. The light rail project will increase the transport capacity of existing corridors.

There are few viable options available to increase capacity outside of existing road corridors. During peak periods, existing bus services operating along Northbourne Avenue carry more passengers than all car passengers combined in a traffic lane. An investment in light rail will allow the carrying capacity of the corridor to be significantly increased, providing vital capacity to cater for future growth and, by using an existing corridor, optimising the use of existing infrastructure.

The light rail will promote economic productivity and stimulate economic activity through urban redevelopment. Therefore a number of opportunities are being investigated to increase residential and commercial densities along the corridor on sites which are significantly underdeveloped. These include public housing redevelopments, the Dickson group centre and the potential redevelopment of land currently occupied by EPIC and the racecourse.

As a key landowner, and as the land manager under the leasehold system, a unique opportunity exists for the ACT government to both directly and indirectly encourage urban renewal along the corridor, and indeed at the key anchor points of Gungahlin and the city.

Providing additional transport capacity is a significant enabler of promoting further development of these sites, allowing for the better use of existing land capacity within the corridor. The light rail network will enhance the sustainability of our development patterns.

As part of the project, the government will actively support transit-oriented development. This will include a mix of activities along the corridor, with the aim of encouraging a greater level of localised trips, which are more likely to be undertaken through walking and cycling. Where intertown travel is required to connect with employment hubs, faster and more reliable public transport services, facilitated by light rail, will encourage greater use of public transport.

The project is also economically efficient. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis undertaken suggests that, despite the higher cost of delivery, rapid transit has the potential to be economically viable. The preliminary economic appraisal showed that light rail under a "business as usual"population scenario delivers a benefit-cost ratio of just over one. By prioritising residential and employment growth along the corridor and within the Gungahlin town centre and city areas, in line with the government's planning strategy and transport for Canberra plan, the benefit-cost ratio increases to above two. That ratio represents an economically viable project, which, given the transformational capacity of light rail, is highly worthy of delivery.

The development of a light rail system will represent a significant capital investment in transport infrastructure and will implement the government's strategies and actions identified in Transport for Canberra and the planning strategy.

However, the real value of the capital metro project is in enabling transformation of how the city develops and its capacity to encourage growth in economic activity, particularly at the anchor points in the city and Gungahlin, as well as along the corridor.

The aim of the government, as outlined in our parliamentary agreement, is to commence construction by 2016. In order to meet this deadline, work has already commenced. Feasibility projects completed up to January 2013 include concept planning and transport engineering of light rail transit alignment options, including kerbside and median alignment; evaluation of certain options; land use development scenarios; government agency stakeholder consultations; the release of project update 1, informing the public on the progress of the project; concept design reports; community consultations during April-May 2012; the release of project update 2; the facilitation of six community information sessions in Civic, Dickson and Gungahlin, including surveys, social research, public submissions and meetings with industry and community stakeholders; the development of strategic transport modelling to support economic evaluation; economic and financial appraisal; peer review of strategic transport modelling; cost estimation of options; options evaluation; the development of a nation building 2 program for co-contribution from the commonwealth; the release of project update 3 in September last year; further refinements to light rail route alignments to achieve savings in the order of approximately $100 million; and investigations into catenary-free and wireless light rail technology.

This highlights that there have already been a considerable number of projects undertaken on which we will continue to need to work in harmony to facilitate the broader objective of a transit outcome, particularly focusing on land planning and development, public housing provision and affordable housing.

These projects aim not only to provide significant revenue streams to government which support the broader provision of government services but also to transform the territory by stimulating its economy through private and public investment, diversification of employment and residential centres, promotion of new employment sectors, and increased wellbeing of residents.

In July last year the government submitted to Infrastructure Australia a business case in support of a request for a co-contribution matching the territory's commitment of $15 million to fund further preliminary design works and feasibility assessments. The business case included a preliminary cost-benefit analysis focusing on the traditional and more readily monetised economic costs and benefits that could be expected to accrue. Over the coming weeks, at the invitation of the commonwealth, further revisions of the business case will occur to pick up our latest understanding of the wider economic benefits that are expected to accrue to the territory economy.

Gungahlin to city is the first part of a broader light rail network for Canberra which has the potential to ultimately link town centres and major employment areas as well as potentially servicing Queanbeyan and other parts of the broader region. The light rail network master plan will be undertaken in the next 18 months to identify suitable light rail corridors across Canberra for future expansion. These corridors will be based on the work underpinning the rapid network established in transport for Canberra. Work is also underway within the capital metro project office on a range of preliminary engineering investigations, transport planning, and economic and financing studies to guide the future development of the project.

One of the first projects since the election is the light rail integration study. Tenders to conduct that study are being evaluated and the study is expected to commence shortly. The study will investigate the integration of the light rail system into the broader public transport network and will inform the preliminary design of the project to be undertaken over the next one to two years. There will be opportunities for community input into all aspects of the project as this work proceeds.

Residential development and commercial development along the corridor are critical to support the overall economic benefits of this project. Capital metro will achieve its broad range of policy objectives by ensuring that it is considered not just as a transport project or a land development or infrastructure project but as one that brings all elements of our metropolitan context together.

The government has commenced the investigative process of assessing the procurement and financing options for the light rail infrastructure and operations, including the issue of public-private partnerships. As part of this process, we will be approaching the marketplace once we have developed an appropriate level of preliminary design to provide sufficient information to effectively and efficiently engage with the market. We will also be undertaking detailed risk analysis to understand and manage the risk presented by the project and identify appropriate strategies for risk mitigation.

As part of this work, we have also commenced the preliminary investigation for what will become the property strategy for the corridor. The urban redevelopment of this corridor will be transformative, providing a stimulus and confidence in the market for development and growth along it and at its terminus nodes in Gungahlin and the city. The work to understand the appropriate land release sequencing—including appreciating potential yields on the corridor; demand volumes and patterns, particularly around housing preference in the corridor; and demographic trends and the establishment of population and density targets—is well underway.

We will be developing a land release model that is able to immediately react to market requirements, a land release model that is attentive to the social and environmental impacts of urban renewal but that also supports affordable housing choices.

The government are aiming high with this project. We aim to put in place a framework that will safeguard high-quality sustainable design while encouraging efficient and sustainable land use. The project is not only about government investment; it is also about understanding and engaging the role of the private sector in achieving the outcomes sought.

Given the relationship of various elements of this project to the daily work undertaken by other areas of government, there will be close coordination across all government agencies that have a stake. For example, the property strategy will have strong linkages with a number of government policies and strategies, including the planning strategy, Transport for Canberra, relevant city planning projects and broader public health objectives.

The capital metro project is a multifaceted initiative, and its scope and nature are unlike anything previously managed by any previous government. It represents a vision for our future, not only in the way by which the people of the territory get about during their daily lives but, more fundamentally, in the way we think of ourselves and our city. A public transport network incorporating modern, efficient and integrated light rail services is the hallmark of a mature and confident city. It is that maturity and confidence, reflected in greater amenity, economic activity and an enhanced sense of wellbeing, that we are determined to deliver to the Canberra community. There first stage of the project is a critical step along that path.

I commend my amendment to the Assembly.

MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (6.25): I thank Mr Coe for raising in the Assembly the issue of light rail. This is, of course, a topic in which I and the Greens have a very strong interest, not just in the ACT but all around Australia as part of our commitment to improving public transport and building more sustainable and liveable cities. In the ACT the Greens released our light rail for Canberra policy before the 2012 election, and developing Canberra's first light rail route became a key item in the Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement. Going forward we have the capital metro project, the shared goal of the Labor and Greens members of this Assembly and one that springboards from various studies and investigations done on light rail over many years.

Recently I had the nostalgic experience of watching a video from 1992 which was part of the sustainable Canberra project. That video made the case for light rail in Canberra as a way of improving our public transport, addressing urban sprawl and car dependence, reducing pollution and capturing the benefits of urban villages. It is now 20 years later, yet the problems we face now are strikingly similar. Only now the imperative to act is even stronger. We need to make our city more sustainable and liveable and also make our economy more resilient to pressures such as peaking oil supplies as well as the need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in the face of climate change.

The ACT Greens have supported light rail because we believe the ongoing benefits of this system make it the best choice, particularly over the long term as our city grows and develops. Light rail is not just about the Gungahlin corridor, although that is where a lot of Canberra's growth is occurring. In line with the parliamentary agreement, the government is set to progress a light rail master plan detailing how and when the network will extend across Canberra to places like Woden, Tuggeranong and Belconnen. In light of the time today, I am trying to shorten my comments.

There are, of course, a range of recognised benefits to light rail, such as its ability to attract more passengers than buses, its additional speed and reliability and its compatibility with renewable energy as well as things like the sparks effect and the urban shaping effects, but I will talk about those more some other time. But all of these benefits are well researched, well documented and generally accepted.

The Liberal Party in Western Australia recently announced a large light rail project for Perth of which the Greens have been vocal supporters. The Western Australian Liberal Party are proud of their project, and their transport minister described it in glowing terms as:

... a transformational investment in public transport by our Government which will give the people of Perth access to the type of public transport offerings that exist in major cities all over the world.

A point I want to emphasise is that big projects such as capital metro and the Perth light rail project need to go through long and detailed stages of development, so not all of the information that Mr Coe is asking for today is available in its final detail.

Much of it is covered in work already made public, but certainly not all. It is the same in Western Australia; the Liberal Party transport minister has not yet explained how his government will finance its light rail project. Likewise, technical and engineering details will need to be finalised. These projects, naturally, go through staging, and, just like the Canberra metro project, details are refined as the project progresses. It does not mean there is some conspiracy to secrecy or mismanagement; the intention is for all staged work to come together in a well-planned and well-implemented project.

At this stage of the capital metro project, I am satisfied that it is progressing sensibly. Just over the last year or so we have had three concept reports on the Gungahlin-city corridor, and a lot of the information requested in Mr Coe's motion is already in those reports. That said, it will certainly remain a focus of mine to ensure that this capital metro project remains transparent and that there is significant public engagement and consultation. I believe these sorts of qualities will be key to the success of the project.

On that basis, I will be supporting the amendment put forward by Mr Corbell. It recommits to a high level of transparency and ongoing public consultation as well as the release of information when it is available. Again, I believe this is the essence of Mr Coe's motion between what has already been made publicly available and a commitment to continue to make the information available. I think the spirit of what Mr Coe is seeking in his motion will be delivered, and I will be supporting Mr Corbell's amendment.

MR COE (Ginninderra) (6.29): I am disappointed that both ministers will be supporting the amendment. It is disappointing they are not agreeing to take on the questions I have put forward. I understand some of the answers to questions would be estimates; I understand some of the answers would not be exact. But I still think there is an expectation in the community that the government should have a fair idea of the answers to each of the questions listed in my motion. I am disappointed. We will, of course, be voting against the amendment, but I welcome the additional information provided by Minister Corbell and Minister Rattenbury in today's debate.

Question put:

That Mr Corbell's amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 9: Mr Barr Ms Berry Dr Bourke Ms Burch Mr Corbell Ms Gallagher Mr Gentleman Ms Porter Mr Rattenbury

Noes 8: Mr Coe Mr Doszpot Mrs Dunne Mr Hanson Mrs Jones Mr Seselja Mr Smyth Mr Wall

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Question put:

That Mr Coe's motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 9: Mr Barr Ms Berry Dr Bourke Ms Burch Mr Corbell Ms Gallagher Mr Gentleman Ms Porter Mr Rattenbury

Noes 8: Mr Coe Mr Doszpot Mrs Dunne Mr Hanson Mrs Jones Mr Seselja Mr Smyth Mr Wall

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Heavy price will be paid if brakes are applied to the push for light rail in Canberra

2013-04-22T16:54:00.001+10:00

For those that attended the recent forum at the Assembly where Professor Newman spoke, nothing in this article will surprise you. Its a very neat summary of the arguments for a light rail, and the way in which it can be paid for.

From the Canberra Times April 21 2013

Tony Trobe talks to Peter Newman, Curtin University professor of sustainability and author of Towards a More Sustainable Canberra.

TT: Does Canberra need a light rail?

PN: Canberra is one of the most car-dependent cities in the world. It has the highest car use per capita of all Australian cities and its public transport is in decline after being one of the best cities in Australia for buses. All cities in Australia that have built rail options in recent years are rapidly growing in public transport patronage. Most cities with rail across the globe are growing rapidly in this option. US cities building light rail have had growth of about 6 per cent per year. Car dependence is increasingly an economic, environmental and social burden. Cities that are heavily car dependent will be less competitive, more vulnerable to oil and carbon constraints and more inequitable.

TT: Does Canberra deserve a light rail?

PN: At last count, there were 545 cities with light rail. There are now 118 cities with populations under 150,000 that have light rail or are constructing light rail. It is no longer the case that any city must be large and dense to deserve a rail system. That was said about Perth and was proved wrong. Each of Perth's north and south corridors that have had a rail project constructed were about the size and density of Canberra, each were dramatically successful due to their careful integration with feeder buses and each were bitterly opposed by transport planners stuck in an old paradigm. The recent election was fought almost entirely on which rail options were preferred - in reality, both the Coalition's MAX light rail and the Opposition's Martinet heavy rail will be needed and will eventually be built. All the small cities of Australia are planning light rail including Hobart, Newcastle, Cairns, Darwin, Geelong and even Parramatta.

TT: Can Canberra pull off a light rail?

PN: A Canberra light rail will need to have a good benefit-cost ratio. It will need to be part of an integrated plan with bus feeders and integrated ticketing and it will need a clear land-use plan, showing how it will help create a more productive and sustainable built form in Canberra. The latest tool for enabling this to happen is value capture. It can mean underused land near the train could be sold off or developed as part of the package to fund the line. A more sophisticated version is based on the reality that residential and commercial properties near the new rail service will increase substantially in value. The beneficiaries will be paying more for rates and taxes that are land-value based. Part of this increased return to the government's coffers can be hypothecated to help finance the rail line. It requires a clear plan to help the land development near the rail to be more dense and mixed. . It's certainly worth a try.

Tony Trobe is the Australian Institute of Architects' ACT president.

Canberra Liberal approach on Light Rail may be softening

2013-04-22T16:41:00.002+10:00

ACT Light Rail met with the Shadow Minister for Transport, MLA Alistair Coe recently to talk about light rail and public transport in Canberra. While the Liberal party had a very limited policy on public transport in the leadup to the 2012 Assemby election, they have not been reticent in asking questions about the proposed Capital Metro light rail project. They are also still very concerned about the running and management of ACTION buses.

On the Capital Metro project, MLA Alistair Coe reiterated that his party would be closely monitoring the delivery of the light rail project, fearful of project delays and cost overruns that have been the hallmark of ACT Labor government project management. They would also continue to ask questions about government spending on the project. Mr Coe pointed out that there was still no engineering report that could be used for accurate costing of the project, and to date no details on how exactly the government proposed to pay for the project.

When asked what the Liberal party approach would be if the rails started to go in during 2015/16 and they won the 2016 election, Mr Coe said that they wouldn't stop the project proceeding if it was underway if they won in 2016. This is the same approach that Campbell Newman adopted towards the Gold Coast light rail project.

It was a productive meeting and ACT Light Rail hope that this marks the start of a more serious policy approach to public transport from the Canberra Liberals.

Liberals ask question about Capital Metro

2013-02-14T12:51:00.000+11:00

Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Transport Minister Alistair Coe has released a press release detailing questions about the Capital Metro project that were deleted (by Labor and Greens votes) from a motion passed in the Assembly on light rail. These are all good questions that the Government must provide answers to.

Media Release
Thursday 14 February 2013

GOVERNMENT AVOIDS QUESTIONS ABOUT LIGHT RAIL

The Government has refused to provide information about plans for light rail in
Canberra, said ACT Shadow Transport Minister Alistair Coe.

In the Assembly yesterday, the Government deleted all the questions Mr Coe asked in a motion about the delivery of light rail.

The information on light rail the Liberals sought answers to were:

the timeline for the decision making and construction progress;
the expected cost to taxpayers of pre-construction and construction;
the predicted patronage, running costs and staffing once operational;
the population within reasonable walking distance of a light rail stop;
plans for park and ride facilities;
the financial models for funding the project; and
what feedback was received from Infrastructure Australia as a result of the 2008-federally funded proposal.

“I’m disappointed that the Government is not passing on information about how they intend to honour their huge financial commitment,” Mr Coe said today.

“Whilst I realised that definitive costs and figures will not yet be known, the Government must have estimates for each of the questions I asked.

“If the Government is serious about delivering light rail, they need to get widespread community support and confidence in the project. Instead, refusal to answer questions will lead to greater scepticism about the viability of light rail in Canberra,” Mr Coe concluded.

All these buses = one light rail vehicle

2013-02-09T17:55:00.002+11:00

I took this photo in Lathlain St, initially as it demonstrated the problem of 'Bus bunching' which bedevils public transport networks, but it then struck me that the capacity of these four buses would be the equivalent of one light rail vehicle. The difference being that only one driver would be required for that light rail vehicle.

The 2004 'Sustainable Transport Plan' dismissed light rail as it was based on 77 passenger light rail vehicles. More recent ACT studies have more sensibly looked at contemporary light rail vehicles, both articulated and multi-vehicle (that is coupled vehicles). These have greater passenger capacity, which is required if light rail is to serve as the mass-transit backbone for the ACT.

Canberra Times prints opinion piece from ACT Light Rail

2013-01-18T13:56:00.001+11:00

Mondays post in response to Paul Mees' recent paper on Canberra's spectacular transport policy failures has generated considerable interest (and website traffic).

A slightly modified version was published, with our permission, on the Canberra Times Opinion page on 18 Jan 2013 titled Criticism hits the mark but is too simplistic.

Canberra: A spectacular transport policy failure

2013-01-15T15:23:00.000+11:00

When an academic titles a chapter in his public transport policy assessment paper ‘Canberra: A spectacular transport policy failure’ don’t expect there to be too much good news in it. Paul Mees is an academic with a particular focus on public transport and has been following the issue in Canberra from a distance for many years.

Many of his assessments on public transport policy in this paper are correct. All governments since self-government have abjectly neglected ACTION and focussed on road construction. The lack of investment has seen the frequency of ACTION services decline, especially outside peak hour and off the major routes. This service failure has led to patronage declines.

In his executive summary, Mees concludes:

Canberra has experienced a sustained decline in public transport, and a steady rise in car driving, for the last two decades (apart from a temporary reversal during 2001-06). The current car driving rate is the highest ever recorded, something that has not occurred in any other capital city except Hobart. Public transport mode share actually declined slightly in the five years to 2011: Canberra was the only one of the seven cities where this occurred. The problems are the result of poor transport policies, which have focussed on road construction, while reversing the successful public transport approach employed in Canberra until the late 1980s.

Mees is also correct that the focus on investment on roads over public transport needs to be addressed, but its not one or the other - that’s a simplistic view which has led to the current public transport system failings. The ACT government needs to consider road and public transport funding as infrastructure. Improve public transport and car drivers may return to the public transport system. The ACTION system can be improved, but its future as a mass transit system is in the past.

It is important when assessing this paper, to look at previous works from the same author. Mees has written papers critical of ACT Public Transport policy before, his most recent contribution on ACTION bus failure coming in 2012. He views investment in roads as bad, and investment in public transport as good.

This simplistic approach doesn’t take into account changes in society and employment mobility. Canberra is a spread out city, and the ACTION bus approach has not served that geography well. As it grows, it is likely that employment centres may change from the present focus on Civic and the Parliamentary Triangle. Decreasing service frequencies outside peak hours and long circuitous routes that increase travel times are valid criticisms.

The public has sampled this service and voted with its cars. Arresting this decline in patronage has proved difficult by successive governments, reluctant to invest in changes to a public transport system that they can’t figure out how to improve. As the cost to acquire a car has declined, its become more viable for a person to buy one and bypass poor public transport.

ACT Light Rail has long argued that the best way to improve public transport in the ACT is to build light rail as a mass transit backbone, increase local bus services to feed passengers to light rail, and properly integrate light rail and buses. Paul Mees’ main objection seems to be that there is only one light rail route planned.

This is not the case. There is only one light rail route under immediate consideration – from Gungahlin to Civic – but there is a plan for light rail to be the territories long term mass transit solution. It’s a massive change in policy direction from the ACT Government and Capital Metro is a plan that needs political and financial support.

If the Capital Metro plan receives funding and construction begins within the current Assembly term, then a future version of this paper may contain a vastly different assessment. Canberra has the potential to lead the way in showing how a medium sized city can reverse car usage and deliver sustainable public transport.

You cant excuse government policy failure from the past, but credit needs to be given to present policy initiatives - and people need to ensure that these policies move from election platform promises to properly funded projects.

The major failing of Mees paper is that it doesn’t recognize that the policy shift has occurred, and that it requires support.

Read the Canberra Times article on the paper here.

Integrating Capital Metro with existing transport infrastructure

2012-12-13T10:48:00.000+11:00

Credit should be given where its due, and the new Greens/ACT Government have started planning for Capital Metro less than six weeks after being returned at the October Assembly election. The ACT Government have advertised a contract seeking advice on integrating existing transport infrastructure with the Capital Metro project. This is a good first step to take.

Announcing the contract details today, Minister Corbell said:

"This report will also inform government about what extra transport planning work will be required to ensure this project is delivered properly."

"Light rail will be an addition to our existing public transport network in the ACT, and therefore this study will provide detailed and essential analysis of how the bus network and the new Capital Metro will work in tandem to best meet the needs of our community."

Read the Canberra Times story online here and the ABC online story here.

An infrastructure project of the magnitude being undertaken requires good governance, and sound planning before the first sod is turned. Although the government is yet to conduct an engineering study, it is sensible to examine how you might want your existing transport infrastructure - like buses, bus stops and park and rides - to be integrated with Capital Metro.

A major selling point of light rail is capacity on the vehicles themselves. Most modern light rail vehicles can carry 200 to 300 passengers. This will reduce the burden on ACTION buses along the Gungahlin - Civic corridor and enable those buses to be re-tasked. This could result in more frequent local bus services in Gungahlin (ideally a bus every 20 minutes or less), or an increase in frequency on other high volume routes (Woden to Civic, Civic to Tuggeranong, Civic to Belconnen).

An aspect which also needs to be closely looked at is the location of Park and Rides. If they are poorly located or provided with insufficient car spaces, then they will not provide the benefits to the network that can be achieved. Integrating the light rail stops with the existing bicycle path network would also assist both cyclists and commuters.

On 666 radio this morning Minister Corbell also spoke of Dickson as a major hub. This was a feature of one of the progress reports published in early 2012. At that time, the plan was to convert the ACT Motor vehicle testing shed as a light rail/bus/retail centre. This is a concept we need to hear more details of. Im not sure that diverting the main route off Northbourne into Dickson central, is a sound idea.

As a first step towards laying the rails, this is a welcome announcement from the ACT Government.

Paying for light rail

2012-11-09T18:23:00.000+11:00

Andrew Barr has announced how light rail will be paid for, in a press release addressing the concerns of the Opposition in respect to accommodating both Green and Labor Party election spending promises.

Third, light rail will be funded in partnership with the private sector. The cost won’t be met upfront from the ACT Budget, and will be spread over the life of the project. In addition, the Government will receive offsetting revenue – such as from redevelopments along Northbourne Avenue – which will help fund the project.

This is the first time language like this has been publicly used by a Labor politician. ACT Light Rail has long maintained that increased commercial and residential construction (and associated stamp duty and rates) attracted by light rail construction, would contribute significantly to the ACT Budget. It is nice to see this concept acknowledged.

Barr, Corbell and Rattenbury to oversee light rail construction

2012-11-09T01:12:00.002+11:00

The Civic to Gungahlin light rail project will be overseen by a sub-committee consisting of Andrew Barr, Simon Corbell and Shane Rattenbury. This was announced on Andrew Barrs facebook page today.

ACT Light Rail will be contacting this group in the very near future.

The ACT does not have a 'transport minister', transport being such a small and unimportant part of peoples lives. This minor portfolio is divided into components such as road maintenance and ACTION Buses, within the auspices of the Territory and Municipal Services portfolio.

In the new Labor/Greens coalition government, Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury is now the TAMS Minister, in addition to six other ministries. Today he announced the following:

"Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) provides many of the services that Canberrans enjoy daily, such as building and maintaining paths and roads, libraries and waste management. It also manages Canberra’s urban and natural environment, such as nature parks, playgrounds and streetscapes.

“My goal will be to deliver these local Government services effectively and efficiently, as well as to continue improvements and innovate in key areas.

“The Greens-Labor Parliamentary Agreement sets out several exciting areas for progress in TAMS, such as improved buses and progressing light rail, enhancing biodiversity protection in Canberra’s nature parks and on rural lands, and cleaning up Canberra’s lakes.

Read a Canberra Times article on the new ministerial allocations here.

ACT Light Rail were advised before the Assembly election that management of the Civic to Gungahlin project would be handled by the Land Development Agency. We will be seeking clarification on the structure of any committees and bodies responsible for delivering the first stage of Capital Metro.

In one important area it makes sense as light rail needs to be integrated with ACTION bus services. Improving ACTION bus services is a whole different sack of cats, which is brave for a new minister to tackle.

I'd urge all reading this to visit our Facebook page. Snippets which don't make the webpage are often posted there.

Light rail determines ACT Government

2012-11-02T14:58:00.000+11:00

Today, last Green standing, MLA Shane Rattenbury announced he is supporting Katy Gallagher and the ALP to form government. He is to become a minister in the Greens/ALP government.

The first thing he mentioned after announcing who he would support, was light rail.

Following his statement of support for an ALP government, he took questions from journalists and announced the following:

asked by a journalist what his ministry would be he said that hadn't been finalised yet, but he wanted to play a role in the delivery of the light rail system.
light rail works will commence during the course of this term of assembly
in briefings from the appropriate bureaucrats they indicated works could begin in 2015
the funding model would be in the form of a Public Private Partnership.
Expressions of Interest would be called for
There is an 'iron clad commitment' from the ALP to delivering this.

This is an excellent result for Canberra's future.

ACTION bus patronage continues to decline

2012-10-30T20:34:00.000+11:00

In disappointing news, figures released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that ACTION Bus patronage continues to decline. These figures are from the 2011 Census and are the most recent and reliable figures available.

Read: New 2011 Census data reveals more about the ACT

An excerpt from the media release states:

Method of travel to work

The latest Census data further revealed that people in the Australian Capital Territory still prefer to travel to work by car than any other means, with 69.3 per cent of the population reporting this as their primary method of travel to work (either as the driver or passenger).

While the household car is still the preferred method of travel to work for most people, there is an increasing proportion of people walking and riding a bicycle to work. In 2011, 763 more people walked to work than in 2006, and 914 more people rode a bicycle to work.

There has been a small decline in the proportion of people who catch a bus to work, with 5.6 per cent of people in 2011 compared to 5.8 per cent in 2006, reflecting a slower rate of growth compared to other methods of travel.

While there is a rise in walking and cycling, these ABS statistics indicate that unless an alternative to the private car is provided, public transport patronage will continue to decline.

Light rail will offer that alternative. Build light rail now!

Light rail may determine who governs ACT

2012-10-29T03:05:00.002+11:00

Shane Rattenbury, ACT Greens MLA

(picture from ABC News)

The ABC television news in Canberra on Sunday night carried a story which has also been posted on their ABC News website in written form. In short, ACT Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury has indicated that light rail has featured prominently in his and the Greens thinking on who will form the next government in the ACT.

Read 'Light rail may determine who governs ACT' here.

As the Assembly now consists of 8 Labor MLA's, 8 Liberal MLA's and 1 Green MLA, Mr Rattenbury holds the balance of power and will determine who governs the ACT for the next four years.

The ABC article states:

"Greens members held a meeting on Sunday to decide on their priorities and discuss strategy with their sole representative in the Assembly.

"They want to see good government in the ACT over the next 4 years to see us become a fair and sustainable city," Mr Rattenbury said.

"So things like light rail were high on the list of things members were interested in."

During the election campaign, Labor committed to building a light rail route between Gungahlin and Civic.

It is part of a larger plan to build a city-wide light rail network in partnership with the private sector, at a cost of $614 million.

The Canberra Liberals have expressed concern over the cost of light rail.

Mr Rattenbury said better public transport and cleaning up Canberra's system of lakes are also priorities for Greens members."

ACT Light Rail urge Mr Rattenbury to stick to the ACT Greens election policy when deciding on where he will place the ACT Greens support for the next Assembly.

ACT Light Rail calls on Greens to stick to their election committments

2012-10-29T00:19:00.000+11:00

Mr Ian Ruecroft, ACT Light Rail Deputy Chair, said today that with the composition of the ACT Legislative Assembly now known, construction of Canberra’s first Light Rail route is now a highly realistic expectation, that would please not just Gungahlin residents but all Canberrans.

He went on to say “ACT Light Rail call on the ACT Greens to ensure that the priority placed on their light rail policies in the lead up to the recent Assembly election, is carried over to the decision making when deciding who to support for the next four years.”

“The major policy commitment that the ACT Greens made of an investment of $200 million towards the building of a light rail system, should be instrumental in determining which side of politics ultimately governs the territory” stated Mr Ruecroft.

Both ACT Labor and ACT Greens made positive commitments to Light Rail during the election campaign. Whilst the ACT Liberals have indicated that they may have some reservations, opposition leader Mr. Zed Seselja was quoted as stating, “We’ve never ruled out light rail”, in the Canberra Times on the day after the election.

“This election has now has demonstrated there is genuine political, community and business support for Light Rail. It provides major infrastructure investment working towards a sustainable future for the Territory with a robust public transport vision”, continued Mr. Ruecroft

“We urge Mr. Rattenbury to remain true and steadfast in the ACT Greens commitment to implementation of their light rail policy as a mandatory condition of support during his negotiations with both parties” concluded Mr. Ruecroft.

Light Rail policy from the parties in the 2012 Assembly election

2012-10-18T22:14:00.001+11:00

Who to vote for? If you are concerned about public transport and light rail then read through this post and make your mind up. ACT Light Rail have summarised the policies of the major parties and independents, where they have been made known.

ACT ALP

After eleven years and several failed pro-bus public transport policies, the ALP has accepted that light rail with integrated bus services offers the best mass transit option for Canberra's future. The ALP now have a policy that proposes that if they are reelected this year:

They will begin an examination of constructing a light rail line with public private partnership options(and we assume funding models),
If elected again in 2016, would actually begin construction of the Gungahlin to Civic light rail link with an aim for completion by 2018.
They will commit 30 million dollars over the next two years for further work on these proposals.
The name of the proposed light rail is Capital Metro.
Initial link will run from Gungahlin to Civic along Northbourne Avenue
This initial link is costed at $614 million dollars

This is an exciting change in policy from a previously pro-bus government.

There are a few concerns from ACT Light Rail. Firstly - only 30 million has actually been committed and secondly - it must be remembered that the ALP went to the 2008 election campaign with a light rail policy which foundered in silence from Infrastructure Australia who went with Majura Parkway instead.

Those concerns aside, it appears to be a genuine change in approach and if re-elected, ACT Light Rail will hold them to this proposal.

More ALP policy details can be found here: Capital Metro Light Rail project

The ABC have a good analysis of the proposal here: Labor backs light rail

The Greens

The first party to offer a proper light rail policy in the 2012 ACT Assembly election campaign, the ACT Greens fired the opening salvo with an excellent policy proposal.

In summary, the ACT Greens light rail policy is this:

Commit to building a light rail for Canberra
$200 million initial Government funding committed to light rail
An ACT wide light rail master plan, covering existing and developing areas
Construction on Canberra's first light rail route beginning by 2015
Independently manage the project through the Canberra Urban Transit Authority, a new independent body to design, cost and manage funding and construction of light rail in Canberra.

When asked by the media what ACT Light Rail thought of this proposal, our response was 'This is the most forward looking public transport policy in Canberra since self government'.

Our only concern is the Greens did not make it a mandatory policy for an agreement to govern contract with whatever party they seek to align with in the next Assembly.

see: The Greens: Light Rail for Canberra

Canberra Liberals

Disappointingly, the Canberra Liberals have not come out with a new policy on light rail for the 2012 campaign. ACT Light Rail believe they are content to run with their policy from four years ago which committed to an engineering study to determine the costs of a future light rail network in the ACT.

Canberra Liberals leader Zed Seselja advised ACT Light Rail that the Canberra Liberals were not opposed to light rail and remained open minded. They were focussed on getting ACTION working more effectively.

At a community meeting on 16 October 2012, Liberal MLA Vicki Dunne when asked about light rail policy said that while she was personally in favour of light rail, she had concerns over the cost of the ALP proposal, how it would be paid for and the ability of an ALP Government to deliver it on budget and on time.

Liberal Candidate for Ginninderra, Matt Watts, is a member of ACT Light Rail. (declaration of vested interest - Damien Haas, ACT Light Rail Chair has been assisting Matt Watts in his campaign).

Australian Motorists Party

They are not opposed to light rail, but don't consider it viable. Curiously, they did issue a policy proposing a tunnel running underground from the Barton Highway under Civic to Commonwealth Avenue. To confuse matters even further, they would include light rail in this plan.

see: The cross city Centenary tunnel

The Pirate Party

Pro-bus. They don't even mention light rail in their transport policy.

see: Rebuild a successful bus transit network

Australian Democrats

Darren Churchill is running as an independent, but is a member of the Australian Democrats. At a community meeting on 16 October 2012, he stated that the Australian Democrats are in favour of light rail, and have been for many years.

On his website, this can be found:

"Work to build an overarching transport plan that includes a comprehensive bus service with late-night and weekend coverage to get you where you want, when you want and integrates a light rail network;"

see: Darren Churchill's campaign commitments

Marion Le's Social Justice Party

At a community meeting on 16 October 2012, Marion Le stated that she was in favour of light rail. The party does not appear to have an online presence.

Who to vote for?

ACT Light Rail make no recommendation to you - we would like you to read this information, seek out information for yourself and form your own opinion.

Please vote on October 20 and consider the best person and party to represent your interests, beliefs and concerns. We trust that the information on this page can assist you in reaching an informed view.

Declaration of vested interest - Damien Haas, ACT Light Rail Chair, has been assisting Matt Watts, a Liberal candidate for Ginninderra in his 2012 election campaign. Matt Watts is a member of ACT Light Rail. In any media appearance, or when lobbying to any person or party since August 2012, Mr Haas has declared this. Mr Haas is not a member of the Liberal party. No other member of ACT Light Rail has been involved in Mr Watts campaign.

ACT Light Rail contains members of all political parties who share a common view that light rail is the best mass transit option for Canberra's future, and work to achieve that aim.

ALP commits to 'Capital Metro' light rail for Canberra

2012-09-21T08:59:00.001+10:00

Today Simon Corbell announced that the ALP had committed to light rail.

He said that 'light rail was the best choice for Canberra'.

The election policy is that the Government will commit $30 million for a series of studies, with an aim to begin construction no later than 2016, and have it up and running by 2018.

The ALP are in favour of a private public partnership. Minister Corbell has had a series of meetings with large international companies experienced in running transit networks. The talks have been focused on these companies building and potentially running that network.

The first link will be from Gungahlin to Northbourne, and will be called 'Capital Metro'.

This is an exciting transport policy announcement, but it must be remembered that the ALP has had four years to propose and announce funding - yet it waits until an election campaign to announce funding for a study. The four year time frame for 'studies' is also disappointing. That takes the actual construction phase to six years from now. There is another territory election in four years.

Some details are available online in this Canberra Times article.

ACT Light Rail will be keenly looking for further detail.

Benefits of light rail - from the WA MAX project

2012-09-18T15:25:00.002+10:00

The WA State Government are proposing to build light rail in Perth. The WA Department of Transport have placed an excellent website for the Metro Area Express or MAX system online here.

The excerpt below is from the section titled 'Benefits of light rail'. Many of these benefits are directly applicable to the ACT.

Benefits

Reduced traffic congestion: The estimated economic cost of traffic congestion in Perth was nearly $1 billion in 2009, with costs predicted to more than double by 2020 to $2.1 billion. Initiatives such as light rail to reduce congestion will have a significant impact on both productivity and quality of life.
Cost-effective solutions: Light rail can be built within existing streets in developed areas unlike heavy rail, which needs significant vacant land or a high-cost tunnel-based design. For areas of medium and high demand, light rail is competitive on cost with buses.
Large capacity: One light rail vehicle carries the equivalent of three articulated buses, and a light rail system can cater for passenger numbers conventional bus routes can’t handle.
Environmental benefits: Transport contributes 14 per cent of Australia’s total greenhouse gases, of which 90 per cent is generated by private vehicles. Light rail will reduce Perth’s reliance on motor vehicles.
Sustainability: Light rail offers developers and planners the opportunity to reduce urban sprawl by increasing population densities near stations and along routes.
Infrastructure certainty: Light rail infrastructure provides a sense of permanence, encouraging developers to invest in new commercial, mixed use and residential projects.
Vibrancy: New development and greater population density can make areas near light rail more vibrant and active. Public transport supports community fitness by encouraging people to walk or cycle to stations or stops. Light rail vehicles will be quiet, both inside and outside.
Easy access: Navigating a light rail system will be simple, with routes marked by permanent infrastructure in the form of rails and stations.
Integration: MAX will integrate with the rest of the Transperth network.

ACT Light Rail meet with Simon Corbell

2012-09-08T16:36:00.002+10:00

ACT Light Rail met with Minister Corbell on Thursday to discuss light rail and public transport issues. The meeting was very frank and instructive. It is clear that Minister Corbell understands the competing issues in the BRT v LRT debate, and I expect that a decision will be politically motivated, not necessarily cost related.

The meeting ran longer than expected with the Minister explaining his thinking on several issues that were raised, answering in great detail questions put to him. He also asked several questions regarding our public statements and views, including our support of the ACT Greens recent policy on light rail.

An unexpected bonus was that after querying the $870 million cost, and the failure to release the figures for scrutiny, the Minister offered ACT Light Rail the opportunity to look at the figures. We have taken him up on this, and will write to his office to formalise this early next week.

At this stage we will ask two of our members, a transport economist and a very senior federal public servant with considerable experience in budgeting, project management and operational implementation, to examine the figures provided to the ACT Government by their consultants.

A full brief of the meeting will be provided to the ACT Light Rail executive committee at our next meeting.

ACT Greens release excellent light rail policy ahead of election

2012-09-04T13:32:00.000+10:00

In the opening salvo of competing policies for the 2012 ACT Assembly election, the ACT Greens fired the opening salvo with a game changing policy on light rail.

In summary, the ACT Greens light rail policy is this:

Commit to building a light rail for Canberra
$200 million initial Government funding committed to light rail
An ACT wide light rail master plan, covering existing and developing areas
Construction on Canberra's first light rail route beginning by 2015
Independently manage the project through the Canberra Urban Transit Authority, a new independent body to design, cost and manage funding and construction of light rail in Canberra.

When asked by the media what ACT Light Rail though t of this proposal, our response was 'This is the most forward looking public transport policy in Canberra since self government.'.

ACT Light Rail meet with all political parties as part of our public transport lobbying efforts. We have met with the Greens several times to discuss light rail, ACTION buses, integrated transport and related matters. To say that they 'get public transport' is to obvious. They also understand how it is an essential part of Canberra's future.

To quote from the Greens policy paper "Our transport system will be a key part of Canberra's long-term economic, environmental and social health. Not only will light rail move people efficiently and reduce pollution, it will also help bring significant economic and cultural opportunities. Light rail is an investment today that will mean savings in the future."

The policy is well worth reading. The Greens have gone to some effort to explain how light rail could be financed, with suggestions including government funding, private finance, value capture financing etc.

A graph from the Greens light rail policy, showing capacity benefits of light rail

Although this is an excellent policy, there is one big problem - it is not a mandatory part of their agreement to govern. The Greens currently hold four seats in the Assembly. It is expected that they may lose one seat in the October election. That will still place the Greens in the position of determining who governs Canberra for the next four years if neither the ALP or the Canberra Liberals are able to achieve a majority in their own right.

The Greens must make this policy a mandatory part of their agreement to govern, for it to be implemented in the next Assembly term.

This policy is visionary for Canberra. It is light years ahead of comparable policy from the ALP or Canberra Liberals. While the ALP have always talked up light rail ahead of an election, they have always squibbed the real opportunity government has given them to deliver it. The Canberra Liberals are too focused on ACTION and the private car to deliver a serious light rail policy (although they did go to the 2008 election with a 4 million dollar proposal to conduct an engineering study, which was what ACT Light Rail were asking for at that time).

In the remaining 40 plus days of this campaign, we will see what light rail policy the two major parties deliver. To date the Greens have offered the most credible light rail policy.

Puzzling transport policy from Canberra Liberals

2012-09-03T15:23:00.000+10:00

The Canberra Liberals released many policies today, well ahead of the October Assembly election. One of them was on public transport. I dont really know what to make of it, except to say that it is light on detail and disappointing in its aims. It also seems as if light rail has been ejected from the list for consideration of Canberras future transport infrastructure.

"Mr Seselja said the Canberra Liberals are committed to improving the ACTION service for Canberrans."

It then lists two objectives:

$3 million for a 12-month trial of a free shuttle service in the Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin to feed into rapid bus lines
Conducting a study on intelligent transport systems such as the use and collection of real-time commuter information and driver guidance systems.

To me this means 'guided buses' or O-bahn style buses. This is a trip in the wayback machine for sure. The Canberra Liberals need to issue more detail on what they mean by this.

At this stage the greens have the most compelling policy on public transport.

Active Transport Forum - Thursday 30 August

2012-08-27T18:59:00.000+10:00

Canberra Loves 40% are holding a public transport forum on Thursday 30 August. There will be several speakers, and also a panel that will field questions.

The main speakers will be Professor Cameron Gordon from UC, Jason Ward from GoldLinq (Gold Coast Light Rail) and Simon Corbell, ACT Transport Minister.

Ian Ruecroft, ACT Light Rail Deputy Chair will be on the panel.

The event will be chaired by Alex Sloan from ABC666 local radio.

I would urge anyone interested in public transport in Canberra to attend, listen and ask questions. Details below.

'New' costings on Gungahlin to Civic transit corridor approaching reality

2012-08-18T04:48:00.000+10:00

Earlier this year Simon Corbell stood in the middle of Northbourne Avenue and keeping a straight face, announced that his government estimated it would cost 870 million dollars to build light rail from Gungahlin to Civic, along Northbourne Avenue. Further, it would only cost 300 million dollars to build bus rapid transit along the same corridor.

Today the ESDD Minister has announced that those costs have been revised. He has managed to shave $170 million off the light rail costing.

Naturally, there is no press release, but the Canberra Times article 'Govt lops $220 million from rail, bus costings' is here.

Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is unknown. The real truth is that we still don't know what these figures actually mean. Both the ACT Greens and the Canberra Liberals submitted FOI application for the data used to arrive at these to look at the actual numbers Minister Corbell uses in press releases, but were denied access to the true figures. What has this government got to hide ?

ACT Light Rail have studied the publicly released material closely and are of the firm belief that the majority of the capital cost of this project is meant to completely rebuild Northbourne Avenue. The proposals include bus or light rail lanes on the outside of Northbourne, complete revamps of the internal median strip and the edges of each road.

There was also a proposal to put the bus or light rail lanes along one side of Northbourne, and directing traffic down the other (this was not included on teh publicly released material).

Northbourne Avenue is Canberra's most used road, and is severely degraded in several areas. The road surface is very poor, and many of the trees on the inner median strip are distressed and at the end of their life. There is a lot of cost ahead whether this current bus/light rail exercise gets funding, or is quietly abandoned post-election.

By folding bus lanes/light rail into the design exercise, the ACT Government cunningly makes this a Federal funding decision, instead of the road surface upgrade - which would see the ACT Government dipping into its own pocket.

This is obliquely referred to in the article:

The government has also been criticised for not releasing the full study behind its cost estimates to date.

''We'll be releasing a detailed assessment of the costings and the assumptions behind them. It won't just be the figures, we will be breaking them up,'' Mr Corbell said.

The government has applied to Infrastructure Australia for funding to undertake detailed design work on the corridor, with the ACT committing to $15 million as long as the Commonwealth matched the figure.

ACT Light Rail keenly await these figures, and trust that the long term benefit of the territory is considered ahead of a short term cost saving. ACTION Buses are at capacity from Gungahlin to Civic in peak hour. The roads are congested, and still more residents are pouring into Gungahlin.

Mr Corbell also said the government would announce before the October 20 election whether it would go with buses or light rail. ''The government has said it will announce its preference for the vehicle type before the election,'' he said.

The development comes as the ACT Greens candidate for Molonglo and former high-profile president of the Gungahlin Community Council, Alan Kerlin, said the ACT needed a ''transport minister with vision'' and called on the government to commit to building light rail.

''They've got to stop pussy-footing around and making empty promises every four years right before an election,'' Mr Kerlin said.

The timing of this whole exercise is very suspect, but I believe the ACT electorate are now aware of the games that politicians play with promises of light rail prior to elections. The whole Infrastructure Australia light rail bid charade was a perfect example of this governments 'commitment'.

Build Light Rail Now.

ACT Light Rail meets the Australian Motorists Party

2012-08-16T23:18:00.000+10:00

ACT Light Rail met today with Chic Henry of the Australian Motorists Party to discuss Canberra transport issues and light rail. I wouldnt say Chic has been converted to our cause, but he was prepared to listen.

We had a very wideranging discussion on Canberra issues, and I came away with a lot of food for thought, and some questions I need to find answers for. This is a good thing.

One common area of agreement was that the current public transport system just isnt working. If Chic is elected, I'd strap myself in tight if I was an ACTION bureaucrat or ACT Govt Transport policy person.

We will meet again, and I trust that I am able to address the questions that the Motorists Party have. Its important to have dialogue - even with people who dont always appear to agree with our point of view.

There is more that unites us than divides us.