Light rail back on the agenda

[Snorzac]

Light rail for Canberra is back on the ACT Government's radar, but in a radically stripped-down form. The Government has ordered a new study into the concept, but any new plans will be much more modest than the ambitious, citywide system covering 54km of track that was ruled out two years ago because of the estimated $2 billion cost. Instead, Chief Minister Katy Gallagher and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services Simon Corbell have told transport planners to look at options for a 13km route between Civic and Gungahlin with an initial study of the 8km between the city and Exhibition Park, to be known as Route A1. The designers will then move on to planning a route between the showgrounds and Gungahlin Town Centre, to be known as Route A2. But Ms Gallagher has indicated that federal money would still be needed to build even the beginnings of a system. She has confirmed that the $2.5million Northbourne Avenue transit study, which was designing vehicular, bus and cycle routes along the thoroughfare, will be expanded to include plans for a light rail route to link the growing northern suburbs to Civic. Light rail has been off the ACT Government's agenda since 2008 when a feasibility study for a system linking Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin, Kingston, Manuka and Civic flopped with Federal Government infrastructure planners. The $200,000 PriceWaterhouse Coopers submission to the Building Australia fund indicated that the environmental and congestion relief benefits may not justify the cost of light rail and the idea did not make the list of Infrastructure Australia's priority projects. But the new study will look at a more modest beginning of a system for the city, as favoured by the ACT Greens who want to divert roads funding to build a light rail network for Canberra, one route at a time. The Chief Minister told The Canberra Times that the results of a feasibility study might be different if it was focused on a narrow route along one of the capital's most congested roadways. ''Then original work done around costing for light rail by infrastructure Australia was done around 54km,'' Ms Gallagher said. ''This piece of work is being done only around part of this puzzle.'' Ms Gallagher said the the new study would be an expansion of work that was already under way to design dedicated transit lanes on Northbourne Avenue. ''In the 2010-2011 budget, we put in some feasibility money, about $300,000 for designated transit lanes on Northbourne Avenue and in the last budget we put in $2.5million for design of whatever comes out of that feasibility study,'' she said. ''Most of the work has looked at buses but we just think it's sensible if the designers look at the possibility of light rail in this and not exclude it.'' Ms Gallagher indicated the territory may make submissions to Infrastructure Australia. Light Rail ACT spokesman Damian Haas said his group would welcome the approach if it was ''fair dinkum.'' 

Source:http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/light-rail-back-on-the-agenda/2193948.aspx?storypage=0