More than 50 bus stops receive upgrades across Canberra

There are now six new bus stops on Ashley Drive in Wanniassa. Photo: Supplied.

The Ashley Drive duplication has been given six new bus stops to improve access to Rapid and local bus routes in Wanniassa as the ACT Government rolls out upgrades to more than 50 bus stops across Canberra’s public transport network.

New bus shelters and signage have been installed at sites across the ACT and improvements have been made to existing shelters and stops, including 40 sites that have been made more accessible for people with disabilities.

New bus shelters have also been installed at Alinga Street in the City, Eyre Street and Giles Street in Kingston to compliment the recent road upgrade, Gundaroo Drive as part of the duplication project and Well Station Drive to improve connections to the light rail stops.

Weston Creek’s Cooleman Court received upgraded shelters, additional seating, longer bus bays and an improved waiting area, while smaller upgrades were undertaken in Narrabundah, Watson bus terminus, Aranda, Curtin shops, Deakin and Moncrieff.

A Transport Canberra spokesperson said Kingston, Gundaroo Drive, Well Station Drive and Alinga Street all received glass shelters while other sites in Curtin and Deakin received reused concrete shelters in keeping with the surrounding landscape.

ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel said the recent upgrades ensure public transport infrastructure is attractive, accessible and easy to use.

“These works have taken place all over the ACT to improve comfort and access for everyone using our public transport network,” Mr Steel said. “New signage has also gone up at bus stops across Canberra to help people more easily identify Rapid route services.”

New wayfinding signs have also been installed around the City and Woden Interchanges to make getting around the new integrated network easier.

Around 40 bus stops also received upgrades to make them more accessible for the disabled and the elderly, in line with the Commonwealth Government’s Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport Act 2002.

A Transport Canberra spokesperson said the works varied depending on what was required at the site, but typical upgrades included improved footpath access, tactile ground surfacing for vision-impaired bus users and flat concrete waiting areas.

The works were conducted at bus stops throughout Canberra including Isabella Plains, Kambah, Curtin, City, Hackett, Kaleen, Charnwood, Latham, Florey, Macquarie, Aranda, Cook, Palmerston, Kippax, Kingston, Narrabundah, Griffith, Waramanga, Mawson, Reid, Ainslie, Weetangera and Crace.

The spokesperson could not reveal the total cost of the upgrades, stating that the upgrades have been conducted over several projects, each with their own funding, and costs varied depending on the level of upgrade.