The proposed light rail station at Kings Avenue near Parliament House. Eventually, about 7000 more public servants will be working in the area. Image: ACT Government.
The progressive opening of light rail Stage 2B to Woden in sections is looking more likely after Chief Minister Andrew Barr said he was open to the idea.
In a submission to the consultation on the proposal, the ACT’s public transport lobby called for a staggered opening of the stage rather than waiting until it was complete, as was the case for Stage 1 from Gungahlin to the City.
The Public Transport Association of Canberra (PTCBR) said the first leg to open should be from Commonwealth Park across the Lake to Sydney Avenue, next to Parliament House and the growing public service precinct of Barton.
It did not advocate splitting the project procurement but believed a staged approach to construction would bring sections of the line into operation sooner.
Mr Barr said that was part of the rationale for delivering Stage 2A from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park first.
“I certainly welcome that particular call from Public Transport CBR,” he said. “We’ll look at that.”
PTCBR said opening a section to service Parliament and Barton would win backing from the Commonwealth, given thousands of its staff in the area would benefit from an easy public transport connection.
Eventually, about 7000 more public servants are expected to be working in Barton.
Mr Barr himself has used the location of public service departments in Parkes and Barton, where the new national security precinct will be built, to argue for Commonwealth funding and parliamentary approval for the project.
In June, the Albanese Government committed $50 million to design work and approvals.
Community consultation ran from 7 May to 30 June on Stage 2B, and feedback will be used to inform the environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft concept design.
Mr Barr said the government was still looking at the environmental and heritage aspects of the proposal but the business end of the project would happen in the next term of the Legislative Assembly.
He took the opportunity to tell voters in the upcoming October election that light rail would only proceed under the current government.
“The procurement comes in the next term of the Territory parliament,” he said.
“But again, I can be very clear that there’s only going to be further extensions to light rail if the government is re-elected.”
The Canberra Liberals plan to finish Stage 2A but more extensions will be scrapped in favour of an expanded electric bus fleet and busways.
Major Projects Canberra intends completing the draft EIS for Stage 2B by the end of this year, followed by an extended period for public exhibition and submissions.
After submissions are assessed and digested, the EIS is expected to be finalised by the middle of 2025 and submitted to the ACT and Commonwealth for approval.
The project team will then move on to detailed design and the planning approvals – parliamentary, ACT and Commonwealth (NCA).
A works approval is not expected until at least late 2026 or early 2027.
The route remains undecided between a diversion through Parkes and Barton and the preferred, more direct State Circle route.
A short tunnel has been proposed to overcome engineering challenges, taking the line from Commonwealth Avenue onto State Circle.
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