Plans lodged for Mitchell light rail station

Shayne Borger agreed! I’m sure Mr Barr will kindly increase the rates for Mitchell Businesses to pay for this!

Alan Ampna ohhh fair go. He has implemented rainbow roundabouts and same sex pedestrian lights…

The opposition had a chance to.put their case and lost.

Stephanie Ciempka, I understand that it was part of deliberate planning. The requirement to get the tram to Civic in a certain time, meant that the number of stops it made were less than those required to provide the most user friendly service.

Ian McTaggart – loss of business to the traders in Mitchell, Ian. The Light Rail is very quick. I don’t buy the argument, sorry!

Stephanie Ciempka no oversight. The Barr train decided that they know more than business owners once more. But here we go for another 4 years of the Green Labor party making unpopular and stupid decisions in the Berra

Stephanie Ciempka
It wasn’t an oversight.

Stephanie Ciempka Ian is right. The promise was 24 minutes from Gungahlin to Civic which was the fastest off peak time the 200 series buses used to take (and up to 45 in peak).

It was a political football to keep to that limit hence the stop was abolished. But all the services and track alignment to put it in later were catered for.

As it turns out they need not have worried. Often the journey is under 24 minutes anyway.

David Brown I assume it includes an actual platform with roofing, probably pedestrian crossing lights, and ticketing machines.

I remember when they duplicated Caswell Drive. There was a perfectly serviceable old road that could have been recommissioned in a month. No. The whole thing had to rebuilt, adding further inconvenience to an already inconvenienced community. Yet when it comes to other places, like the intersection of the Barton Hwy with William Slim Drive they built an oversized roundabout repel at with traffic lights instead of doing it properly with a fly over. 🤔

Marc Edwards the crossing and the lights are already there. So too the footings and all the electrical and comms pits, drainage etc. So really is platform, shelter, CCTV and ticket machine. $1m is quite reasonable.

I think you are saying you think a million dollars might be excessive too .🤔

Nope they opposed it initially as they were being used by the anti tram lobby. They didn’t even submit a request for a stop during the consultation period. Once it started building they changed their minds. The contract was signed then. They did however install a lot of the electrical etc for the stop under the ground ready to go.

Justin Watson what do you mean, nope.
Did the ALP know it was wanted and needed? Yes.
Because they didn’t submit it means they didn’t see the need for it as it was all about how long it would take from gunners to the city.

How can it possibly cost $900k for a tram stop. A post with Tram Stop on it is all that’s needed. That’s all that’s needed! You can see the tram coming and it can only go to Gunghalin orAlinga St…. Why do we have to have the most complex solution to every problem in the ACT?

You have no idea. How about a platform, and a roof and some ticketing machines?

Tramcar Trev I like the last question. Very valid

Andrew Dale yep- that’s the truth. It would have taken EXACTLY the same time as the buses used to had they put the stop in.

Tramcar Trev yes and if they did what you suggested, you’d be the first person on here whinging about why the trams are not accessible and step free, why there isn’t any cctv, ticket machines, shelter or passenger information.
The least complex solution, tends to be copying the one that you already have and works.

Andrew Dale even more valid is why do we as a largely articulate and educated electorate put up with the continual hubris from our legislative assembly. The cost of the tramway could have been reduced by 30% if the track when on its own right of way had been laid on open ballast as is considered world standard practise. In 20 or 30 years time when the track has to be replaced its going to be horrendously expensive to get it out of the concrete and then relay it….

Emmac Ph during off peak, the buses performed similar or even quicker than a tram. That simply isn’t true for peak hour
when buses which got caught in traffic. The addition of a Mitchell stop is likely to add a minute to the journey. It will not break anything and is simply fixing a problem which shouldn’t exist.

I was managing a business in Mitchell and the collective of business owners were very much in favour of the stop in Mitchell. In fact, most assumed it was a no-brainer and did not get too vocal about it at the start. Only when the decision was made to skip Mitchell did it really gain volume amongst the Mitchell business community.

Brent Hutch no. I’m not a snowflake. I’m capable of a little inconvenience in my life at the expense of being spoon-fed for everything. Obviously you have no knowledge of how tramways actually work. Look at how it’s done overseas. Look how it’s done in Sydney. Far simpler and much more cost effective than what we have here. What’s even worse is that it’s always the most expensive solution for Canberra based on the fact that it’s the capital….

Tramcar Trev I think what you perceive to be reality, and what is, are not aligning. Sydney (which you have highlighted as a example) just spent chunk of money building the L2 & L3 and their stops feature all the things that I have mentioned, though not all stations have ticket machines (noting you can tap on/off for transport with a debit/credit card in Sydney). Victoria is having to go through a program to rebuild stations to make them accessible. Further despite your assertions otherwise, Sydney and Newcastle’s new light rail systems have been built on concrete, not ballast.

Tramcar Trev the L1 was extended from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill along an old goods train line. That would have nothing to do with the decision right?

Obviously sections of L2 and L3 are in the roadway and need be concreted. Though there are significant sections of track which are only for tram usage. Yet still concrete.

I do not care if a tram runs on concrete or ballast. Just pointing out things are not as clear cut as you believe.

Brent Hutch the point I’m trying to make is that we seem to always choose the most expensive option. The L1 actually runs from the Railway Colonnades to Dulwich Hill. The track was completely relaid for the light rail. The old goods line alignment is only partially used.

Tramcar Trev you may have a point with ballast v concrete costs, I don’t know. But I can’t accept that argument for stations, as they are all getting largely getting done to the standard I’ve indicated.
The original Sydney light rail line was Central to Lilyfield. It was then extended to Dulwich Hill, which to my knowledge the extension is the part that was largely built along the old line route. I would assume the ballast was already largely there, so it made sense to use it for (relaid) tracks.

Andrew Dale
Mitchell business community vehemently opposed it and were frequently asked to get a proposal in. Then when it was finalised they changed their mind.

Justin Watson
Correct. Mitchell Traders originally opposed it

Tramcar Trevr 90% + of L1 is on the old goods line. Basically from the powerhouse museum to Dulwich Hill.

Tramcar Trev I heard that sections of the concrete had to be ripped up and relaid because the tint was deemed incorrect.

Colin Vivian yes and some of the poles had to be painted in an effort to try and make them dissappear.

Colin Vivian overseas has had supercapacitor busses for a decade.

Andrew Dale …haha…Mr Barr will just increase the rates for Mitchell landlords/businesses!

Brent Hutch so that being the case how can bus stops be a simple sign on a post? Yet the tram needs $900k spent on each stop? OK there needs to be safe pedestrian access but the rest is totally superfluous to safe and practical operation. We don’t seem to need electronic signage, ticket machines, water dispensers, et al at bus stops. Why are tram stops so much different?

Tramcar Trev if your only requirement is “safe and practical operation” then sure, you can pop up a sign. That argument can also be rolled out to nearly everything though… Things are built to make them attractive and comfortable for people to use? I’d also hazard a guess, that in the grand scheme of things, the items you’ve mentioned are unlikely to be significant costs of the 900k.
No you can’t have those facilities at all bus stops, but I’d actually argue that major bus stops should have shelter, cctv, departure displays, ticket machines etc. The whole point of the exercise is to make it simple, safe, comfortable and easy to use right?

Mat Barber that’s part of the process, consultation then lodgement