Bunnings' Airport move puts cloud over Fyshwick store

JC said :

dungfungus said :

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

In those franch cities the issue is the lin bypasses the city altogether, so they either have a remote station enroute and/or a spur to an existing classic station.

In the case of Canberra I’d say the line went to Melbourne a remote station would probably be out Yass way which is too far even by European standards which means a spur into Canberra is needed either way. In which case the argument for a city station becomes strong.

You are probably right JC but given that it will never happen in our lifetime it is all academic anyhow.

It’s interesting to note that Canberrans used to be able to be bussed to Yass Junction (and return) to connect with the XPT to Melbourne. This was not an imposition for many and the way the landscape is changing between Canberra and Yass the distance is getting less each day.
To catch the same south-bound train service now, the connection event takes place at Cootamundra which is a lot further but people are still prepared to use the service.
It’s better than catching the Explorer from Canberra to Goulburn and waiting several hours for a south-bound XPT.

dungfungus said :

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

In those franch cities the issue is the lin bypasses the city altogether, so they either have a remote station enroute and/or a spur to an existing classic station.

In the case of Canberra I’d say the line went to Melbourne a remote station would probably be out Yass way which is too far even by European standards which means a spur into Canberra is needed either way. In which case the argument for a city station becomes strong.

ChrisinTurner said :

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

Well, not exactly like anywhere else in the world. For example, in Lyon, the French TGV stops at Lyon St Exupery which is 20km from the centre of the city. There are shuttle busses or metro rail connections to Lyon Part Dieu (business centre of Lyon) and an “express trams” to the airport.

When “fast trains” are forced to make diversions (like the one mused about at Ainslie Ave, Civic), the cost escalates dramatically and the service becomes significantly “less-fast”.

Federal government people who think they know about VFTs should take a fact finding junket to France and “get up to speed”.

The Federal government said their preferred Canberra terminus for the High Speed Train was at Civic in Ainslie Avenue, like HST anywhere else in the world.

aleayr said :

dungfungus said :

What railway line was that?

I think they’re talking about the existing Fyshwick Bunnings with the existing line. Can’t see it happening myself, not sure the cost benefit would stack up, especially given the preferred route for future high speed rail seems to be the airport.

Ah, yes. Thanks for that. It’s the existing Bunnings’ site being referred to.
Forget the high speed train, this government isn’t even capable of putting in a daily commuter train from Bungendore to Canberra which would take thousands of cars of the road. They would rather waste some millions on another useless tilt-train trial to Sydney that still won’t compete with the busses.

dungfungus said :

What railway line was that?

I think they’re talking about the existing Fyshwick Bunnings with the existing line. Can’t see it happening myself, not sure the cost benefit would stack up, especially given the preferred route for future high speed rail seems to be the airport.

bigred said :

I keep hearing of secret plans to convert the site into a transport interchange. Remember the railway line goes right past it, and the Kingston Foreshore development proposes to redevelop the existing railway station.

What railway line was that?

I keep hearing of secret plans to convert the site into a transport interchange. Remember the railway line goes right past it, and the Kingston Foreshore development proposes to redevelop the existing railway station.

John Moulis said :

Are you kidding? Bunnings about to close their booming, centralised Fyshwick store in the middle of Canberra’s main industrial area and move out to Dreamworld? The artificial shopping precinct tacked onto the airport by way of a legal loophole?

This is absurd in more ways than one. At the north of Majura Park necessitating an extra drive from Costco and the shopping centre. There was a reason why tradies never went to Masters – it was just too isolated.

Bunnings should get this ridiculous idea out of their heads pronto. Killing the goose which laid the golden eggs is never a good business model.

But access for bicycles is very good at Majura Park; very dodgy at Fyshwick.

John, I shop regularly at Majura Park, it will be great to have Bunnings in the precinct. I don’t care whether the centre was built due to the loop hole, that’s irrelevant, it’s a fantastic precinct. I hope Bunnings don’t get the idea out of their heads, I hope that is exactly what they are planning.

In addition, for me anyway, I find the Fyshwick store annoying to get to with a number of traffic lights and tight traffic on that eastern side of Fyshwick especially during peak periods. Majura is pretty good during peak times now the entry roads have been upgraded to dual lanes.