ACT Light Rail to speak at GCC Forum on 13 June 2012

Q: If it gets a metro will Gungahlin become the Paris of Canberra?
A: Non.

Underground

It probably doesn’t need to be underground (underground costs a lot more) since we have enough green space (although certain sections could be underground).

What I would propose is to create a grade-separated, automated light metro (Like London’s Docklands Light Railway and Vancouver Skytrain).

bikhet said :

Gungahlin Al said :

But rest assured – I was only able to continue campaigning for light rail on behalf of the Gungahlin community because that is what the community itself were constantly telling us they supported.

And how was the level of support by the community determined? By a survey of a statistically valid random sample of the population? By the level of noise made by a self-selected group of activists? Something between the two?

Exactly.

@Gun Al. I said stacked, I did not say totally. GGC has been supporting light rail for over 10 years. ACT Light Rail does not have open books or is an incorporated association. If it were, I reckon most of the “committee” have dabbled in GCC affairs at one stage or another.

Gungahlin Al said :

But rest assured – I was only able to continue campaigning for light rail on behalf of the Gungahlin community because that is what the community itself were constantly telling us they supported.

And how was the level of support by the community determined? By a survey of a statistically valid random sample of the population? By the level of noise made by a self-selected group of activists? Something between the two?

Pandy said :

ACT Light Rail has always been a tool and stacked by Gungahlinites.

Why does the invite not surprise me?

Bull Pandy. As usual. Damien is from Belco – an area that would benefit almost as much from light rail as would Gungahlin and North Canberra.

Yes I have always supported what they’ve been campaigning for – because I believe it is right. And because I always had so many balls in the air requiring lobbying for Gungahlin and the wider community that it was good to have another group leading that issue.

I just want Canberra to implement a proper public transport solution that will replace the need to constantly pour hundreds of millions into road construction – knowing all the while that doing so will only eventually make the traffic problem worse.

But rest assured – I was only able to continue campaigning for light rail on behalf of the Gungahlin community because that is what the community itself were constantly telling us they supported.

ACT Light Rail has always been a tool and stacked by Gungahlinites.

Why does the invite not surprise me?

Chop71 said :

I think you will need at least 5 more consultant reports, a few more sumits, more community discussions/meetings, several costed plans and reviews of estimates. Not to mention EPA reports, more community meetings and submissions from residents etc.

By then it will be 2050 and we would have invented teleporting.

Although a few gumbymints would have been elected through those years on promises and hope.

A person wh owas one of teh first residents of Palmerston game me recently an early 90’s Gungahlin transport report. there were 4 options examined:

Gungahlin Drive extension
O-Bahn style busway
Light Rail
Monash Drive

Guess which one eventuated ?

As I was handed the report the person said ‘If we had got light rail 20 years ago, we wouldnt be arguing about transport today’.

BTW in the 90’s COMENG costed light rail at 120 million and an O-bahn busway at 90 million. This included several flyovers on Northbourne (for some reason).

Those are the earliest figures Ive seen.

Dilandach said :

Well, sir, there’s nothing on earth like a genuine, Bona fide, Electrified, Six-car Monorail! what’d I say?

ACT Light Rail are opposed to monorail, arguments why this technology is not suited to a mass transit system are here http://www.actlightrail.info/2012/03/monorail-not-suited-for-canberra.html

miz said :

Is there a reason why Light Rail has not been touted for anywhere south? Just curious. I would imagine broadening the scope would result in wider support?

There is interest all over Canberra, and Tuggeranong Communty Council have been quite vocal in asking for light rail.

Yep light rail was sooo last year. Canberra need and underground 🙂

That said many undergrounds are built such that they are covered up by road or buildings. They literally sit just below the road. Doesn’t add a huge cost because the land is still usuable above the underground.