6 August 2019

Greens call for drop in Northbourne speed limit following bus interchange works

| Lachlan Roberts
Join the conversation
28

Alinga Street between Moore Street and Northbourne Avenue is now a no-car zone. Photos: Lachlan Roberts.

The ACT Greens are calling for the speed limit on Northbourne Avenue to drop to 40 kilometres per hour around the light rail and bus interchange in the City after the Government opened its expanded bus interchange.

Alinga Street between Moore Street and Northbourne Avenue is now a no-car zone, with the extended City bus interchange open only to pedestrians and cyclists.

The city bus interchange now extends on Alinga Street across Northbourne Avenue towards Moore Street and West Row, closing the road for bus and local traffic only.

Minister for City Services Chris Steel said the works will improve access to public transport for residents while also improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and motorists on Northbourne Avenue.

As part of the works, two new bus shelters were also installed on platforms 1 and 2 as well as new bike rails on Alinga Street west of Northbourne Avenue.

“Expanding the city interchange across to Alinga Street west will ensure better integration with the Alinga Street light rail stop for customers interchanging to bus services,” Mr Steel said.

“The work also complements the upgrades to the road verge on Northbourne Avenue and the Alinga Street light rail stop.

“As part of these works, Alinga Street is now open to bus and local traffic only between Northbourne Avenue and Moore Street and West Row.

“The changed traffic arrangements have brought the western side of the City Interchange in line with the arrangements in the rest of the Interchange.”

bus interchange alinga street

There are now calls to reduce the speed limit to 40kmph in the area.

ACT Greens Transport spokesperson Caroline Le Couteur, who called for upgrades to the extended bus network including shelters, a pedestrian-only zone and reduced speed limits last month, said she was pleased to see the works completed.

“It is really good to finally see the shelters up,” Ms Le Couteur said. “I think everyone was disappointed that we moved the buses and didn’t give any shelter for the bus users.

“I am very pleased that after waiting for a few months, that the ACT Government has finally given the travelling public what it deserves.

“Even more importantly, the Government has stopped the cars from coming in here. If you spent any time here, you would have seen someone nearly being killed. So I think it is a great move to stop the cars in this bit of Alinga Street.”

Ms Le Couteur is now calling on the ACT Government to decrease the speed limit around the congested area of Northbourne Avenue.

“There is only one more thing that I am suggesting for around here and that is 40 kilometres per hour speed limits along Northbourne Avenue adjacent to the interchange,” she said. “There is so much pedestrian activity with people getting off the light rail, they are going from one side of the bus interchange to the other.

“It’s just not safe at present. 40 kilometres per hour will be a lot safer.”

Under these new traffic arrangements, vehicles leaving Odgers Lane will still be allowed to turn left onto Alinga Street.

Join the conversation

28
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
Capital Retro9:46 pm 07 Aug 19

Trev Astle, you are a legend.

rationalobserver8:40 am 07 Aug 19

All part of the greens lead government policy to discourage private car usage in the ACT. Reduce available parking, increase the price of what parking is left, shorter time limits, bias traffic lights to favour pedestrians and toy trains (and bike riders who can’t make up their minds if they are pedestrians or vehicles). Who pays when there are no cars left on the road?

The Greens saying it is dangerous to have the tram stop in the middle of the road……hilarious.

How hard is it to cross a road without getting run over?

Probably best we stop pandering to the lowest common denominator.

rationalobserver8:35 am 07 Aug 19

That’s why the greens exist!

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.