Turner residents sound alarm over bus layover plans

The proposal does take account of the Floodway eg. improved stormwater outcomes, reducing the impacts and frequency of flooding. If people care to look it is on the City Services website. Sounds good to me
https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/Infrastructure-Projects/city-inner-north-and-inner-south/citywest-bus-layover

I have I have no doubt what so ever that who ever is planning this knows the flooding risks and are mitigating against them. And besides when was the last time the carpark went under?

Also if you look at the map in this article it looks like buses won’t be using Watson street what so ever. It looks like the entry and exit to the layover will be an extension of Kingsley street which is already the road the buses use coming from Belconnen to access the city.

There is a driveway off Watson street but that would appear to lead to a carpark for support staff etc rather than any bus parking and appears unsuited for buses which would make sense as they have their own entry.

Just wondering t2owe did you actually look at the image in the post above?

It quite clearly shows they quite clearly intend to align the entry and exit to be built into the lights just near that spot, so buses could primarily go straight ahead and down through the back of ANU, as the majority do right now when heading towards the city. While there will be an entrance on Watson St, there is already one there now for the carpark (And I’d assume it will likely only be for vehicles to use). I can’t see how the risk profile is changed at all for Watson St from this proposal, as long as the entrance on Watson St is not the primary entry/exit, which clearly from the image it appears to not be.

And while the floodway is an obvious issue to deal with, its a bus layover – its exactly the sort of thing that can be built in such a location surely. Yes there will be a an admin building or two involved, but what else/ Primarily its a large open space. Pretty easy to move buses pretty quickly I would of thought, and not much there to damage.

Then you beliefs are sorely misplaced. There is no indication that thought of any kind guides planning in Canberra. Rather dubious plans are rubber stamped. This has led to numerous atrocities which could have been otherwise avoided had ACTPLA’s own rules been avoided. Instead rules are constantly waterered down or avoided. All to the detroiment of residents. Wake up and smell the coffee.

If you look at the `map’ above the entrance to the layover is in Watson Street. Since there are already traffic lights at the Barry Drive/ McCaughy Street intersection another set of lights is unworkable. The buses do not have any scope to ” go straight ahead and down through the back of ANU”, as you claim. You are referring to the Barry Drive. McCaughey Street interesction i.e. the wrong intersection.

Loss of amenity of the parkland? Other than commuters riding or walking through there to access north Canberra I have never seen anyway using these supposed parklands. It primarily a gravel carpark.

As for fumes how far away are the nearest residents? Closest me would be at the ANU where one would think the constant traffic on Barry Drive will be generating far greater fumes than idling buses. But for what it is worth buses are not meant to idle whilst standing.

It’s a layover for drivers to have a break. No idling buses.

Perhaps it’s because you don’t live in the area?

The smell of Nimbyism here is stronger than the smell of rotting green waste in the gross pollutant trap right next door and whatever the hell the ANU are stockpiling on the other side of Sullivan’s creek.

But she is right about the city expanding into areas of Turner. By design.

If you don’t like it, move. And if you own the property, you’ll take a massive windfall gain in property price growth that has been driven by that expanding city and density.

Hahaha its a strange one to get knickers in a knot about Chewy, especially when it isn’t particularly near any residential buildings either (bar the ANU building across Barry Dr)….

As for the changing nature of Turner, you’ve hit the nail on the head…. take it, enjoy your windfall gain and find a place that suits what you want. Even with the move to higher density, its still by and large a nice suburb and plenty to like about it.

Bus layovers don’t improve land values. But bus layovers placed on Floodways and across the street from Aged Care and Child Care centres are accidents waiting to happen. There have been too many poorly built or located constructions in Canberra which never should have been approved. Why were they?

It is simple why it is proposed. Because the huge block where the current layover is down near ANU is on the block to be sold (or has been sold – not sure) and has a very high value in comparison. It makes sense to develop such a site (I assume ANU will buy it?), and so a new location for a bus layover near the city needs to be found.

Get rid of all these car parks and make public transport better and more accessible. What other Australian capital cities do you see car parks spread out all over the place. Canberra city can be so much better. Make the city car-free like some other cities around the world have done . Ghent in Belgium with its city population of over 260,000 and Cordoba in Argentina with a population of 20,000 have made their cities car free with public transport, taxis and permit holders allowed to enter but not exceed speed limits. Cordoba has over 2km of pedestrianised areas with outdoor cafes, shops, plazas, restaurants and parks with buses providing access.

Parklands heavily used for recreation? Firstly what parklands it is mostly a dirt carpark.

Though yes the area does get heavily used by bike riders and walkers who commute to the suburbs along Sullivan’s Creek and this proposal won’t stop them doing that.