Minister Barr: Will the Liberals reaffirm their commitment to congestion?
- Written by ACT Government
Released 28/10/2015
The Canberra Liberals are becoming increasingly isolated with their backward-looking position on transport in Canberra.
Today is a line in the sand moment where the Liberals can either choose to join the rest of Canberra in the 21st century and support an assembly motion in favour of public transport. Or they can vote against it and come clean to Canberrans that they are the party that is hardwired to choke our streets with congestion.
Their political ‘friends’ at every level reject their position on public transport. The Federal Liberals think their position is “economic lunacy”. Unlike the ACT Opposition leader, the new Liberal Prime Minister loves public transport. The Liberal leader over the border is investing in public transport, including light rail, which the Canberra Liberals hate. It’s worth remembering these are the most extreme conservative Liberals in the country. They make Tony Abbott look moderate.
Like Canberrans, the government wants to manage our city’s growth, reduce congestion and protect our liveability. To do this we need to improve our public transport system. This government has a clear plan to do just that. We have announced Transport Canberra to ensure smooth integration of bus and light rail into a convenient, efficient, affordable and reliable network.
If the Liberals care about Canberrans, they will support a public transport network that meets Canberrans’ needs now and over the next 25 years; they will support the reallocation of 1.2 million annual bus kilometres freed up by stage 1 of the light rail network to improve the Canberra-wide bus service; and they will support the government to investigate potential partnership opportunities with the Commonwealth Government for high priority light rail corridors. That’s our plan.
If they vote against this motion, it’s the clearest admission yet that they have no plan for transport – that they are committed to congestion.
Independent research shows how out of step the Liberals are with Canberrans who are looking forward to light rail becoming part of our integrated transport network.
We have released our plan to redistribute more than a million bus kilometres freed up when the first stage of light rail begins running. We will establish Transport Canberra which will be responsible for integrating buses with light rail, ensuring a single ticketing system, a central contact for information and coordinated timetabling.
Improvements and innovation will begin in the bus network right away. The introduction of free wifi on buses will start this year. In 2016, there will be a trial of a system where weekend bus services are complemented by an on-demand taxi service to pick up commuters from suburban stops and take them to join a major bus route. Bike racks will be added to more buses in the first half of 2016.
Meanwhile we’ve released a network plan to show how light rail can be extended across our city in the future.
The message I received loud and clear during my recent trip to the United States was that governments must act early to avoid future congestion problems. It is much harder, more time consuming and far more costly to act when the roads are already congested. We have the opportunity to build an efficient and affordable public transport network for the future of our city. This government will seize it.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
