ACT Light Rail 2008 ACT Election "Meet the Candidates" Event this Tuesday night.

Video of the event now available on the ACT Light Rail web site.
http://actlightrail.info

ACT Light Rail, I’ve had a meeting rescheduled to tomorrow unfortunately, but best of luck for a successful evening.

Pandy – we have consistently lobbied for light rail to be grade separated from the outset. The difference between trams and light rail can be viewed simply as: trams = onroad running shared with cars, light rail = grade seperated travel.

As for stopping every 400-800m, i havent seen that article you refer to. Along Northbourne or in other dense areas that may make sense, but to link population, employment, education and town centres efficiently ideally you would want as few stops as possible between the hubs.

I think Damien Heffernan has hit the nail on the head. The decision to build light rail in the ACT is effectively a political decision. Once it has been taken, finding the funding is an administrative exercise. Im hoping the current ACT government interest in light rail as a sustainable public transport initiative survives the current electoral cycle.

Jonathon Reynolds said :

The AMP are vocally anti-light rail, they were sent an invitation to the event.
As far as I am aware they do not even have the courtesy to advise that they weren’t attending.

They’ll be too busy, dreaming of their new dragway.

I was at a beer garden today, and someone began revving their engine outside, the tone was exactly the same as I remember emanating from the old dragway. It wasn’t nearly as loud though. The entire place stopped, and looked, and began exclaiming (what the hell is that why don’t they stop it what an awful noise etc etc). But it wasn’t as loud because you could still hear people talking.

But Jonathon, you are a true blue tram supporter. The bullshit that your mob sprouts that light rail is not trams is hard to swallow, especially when I read the Forum B7 article in the Grimes from last weekend. Anything that stops every 400-800m is a tram. Anything that that stops at the town centres only is light rail.

Walter Burley Griffin designed old Canberra for electric cars, ie trams 9he never even used the word trams in his plans). He never knew of light rail. Major centres like Canberra and Arsenal Town (Tuggeranong) were to be linked via steam trains.

@damienhefferan Brisbane got a light rail? Errr when? Billions? How is this to be paid for? Increased rates? Molonglo being built with sub-standard/cost-cutting roads that garbo trucks dont go up ala Gungahlin?

If you ask me, the political party that has the balls to build light rail to Molonglo gets my vote. If yhry build it to Watson and/or Gungahlin then they will be voted last. Why? Because they already have had a good poke in the apple pie.

I am sure the other Jon does love me a whole lot … *guffaw* … but I think you do know I was referring to you Jonathon!!

If there is somewhere open at that time of night, like the Pancake Parlour perhaps, we could always get a hot chocolate or swiss malt or even a boring old coffee afterwards; but it will be late so I understand if you just want to get home instead.

@Granny

Granny said :

Are you going along, Jon?

Yes if you mean me – it is another story that needs to be covered for http://CanberraVotes.com
I don’t know if you are actually referring to the other Jon – the Chief Minister.

@damianheffernan

damianheffernan said :

Would have gone if I was still standing.

Come along and stick it to the candidates/parties… just because you are not standing doesn’t mean that you should bow out completely from the political process (you obviously have an opinion like so many others should be heard). I decided not to run this time round but that doesn’t stop me from still being involved and effectively throwing stones from the sidelines.

Would have gone if I was still standing. My 2.0cents: We need a strong leader (in power) who simply rules on it and builds the first Light Rail links. If you ask then you’ll probably never get it up. Studies can be made to show whatever you want: I can show a study which shows it will cost a billion dollars, or one where it costs 25 million. Sydney got a light rail, Brisbane got a light rail, do we see the people of either City consulted endlessly before they just spend the cash and do it? I’m not anti consultation here it’s just with a major infrastructure expenditure like this you just need to do it. And then pay it off over 80 years. There’s so many ways to fund it it’s not funny. Do you think the Harbour Bridge would have been built in a depression if they had asked the public!? There were 1000+ home owners there who had their houses resumed for no compensation who certainly would have been up in arms not to mention the rest of NSW who were funding it with their taxes and who wouldn’t get any benefit unless they went to Sydney. That money could have been spent on lots of things for their small towns.
But it wasn’t: it built a Bridge, a worl icon and something people can’t imagine Sydney without. Suck it up Stanhope, build the rail link to Gungahlin, fix the public transport issues there and receive the praise for a job well done.

Are you going along, Jon?

The AMP are vocally anti-light rail, they were sent an invitation to the event.
As far as I am aware they do not even have the courtesy to advise that they weren’t attending.