Recieved in the post yesterday a letter from Urban Services the “Belconnen to City Busway Community Newsletter No. 2”. While Letter No. 1 is online here No. 2 is not yet up.
Letter No. 2 asks for Community input into the plan, listing what they have already heard, inlcuding
– Busway is a good idea provided it cna deliver on objectives
– Rail or light rail would encourage people to change modes (whats the likelihood of this getting any more thought)
– Canberra does not have traffic congestion problems that warrant the proposed level of expenditure on public transport
– No need to spend as much money on the project
– Final route needs to minimise impact on bushland (and maybe have the right procedures followed?)
– Ensure that existing bus services from south Belconnen can enter and leave the busway (will they even be kept running?)
– Conside splitting Busway lanes to allow faster speeds for buses – 100km and above, faster than is allowable for cars (not going to happen, as someone will come out with the argument that cars will then speed to go faster to race the buses)
– Avoid bridges and overpasses on Barry Drive section (there is no other way of avoiding all the traffic in Turner and the ANU, so the trip will be as slow as a normal bus if they dont)
There are 3 main options for the busway, each having a few sub-options the question is which will the ACT govt back, which will the Federales back and which will the people actually want?