The following formal submission have been made public
Submitter: David McIntoshRaising of London Circuit
This package is essential to the proposed route of light rail from Civic over Lake Burley Griffin and onto State Circle. If this package proceeds then the die is cast ... light rail will occupy the centre of Commonwealth Avenue for evermore and greatly diminish the flow of traffic not just at the London Circuit intersection but also at the State Circle intersection.
There are alternatives that have been canvassed publicly, and by myself in letters to ACT Government members. The most attractive alternative I have discerned is to construct a light rail / bicycle / pedestrian crossing to the west of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The southern end of the new crossing would connect with John Flynn Drive and then onto State Circle ... the light rail could go clockwise or anti-clockwise around State Circle to meet up with Adelaide Avenue.
The perceived advantages of this alternative include, inter alia, 1. the preservation of Commonwealth Avenue and London Circuit as effective and efficient prime trunk routes, 2. the preservation of the broad and beautiful vista of Commonwealth Avenue as an approach to the Parliament House of Australia, and 3. offer some prospect that light rail between Civic and Woden might match the transit times being achieved by the current rapid bus system.
For light rail between Civic and Woden to succeed then it must encourage usage ... and if the transit time between the two town centres is greatly inferior to what can be achieved now then the project will be a failure in my opinion. The Greens have promised express services on the route in recognition of transit times being the key performance indicator. The Greens seem to think that this can be achieved by clever timetabling and by-pass tracks at various stations along the route.
The alternative route would further support minimal transit times as it would avoid two choke points at either end of Commonwealth Avenue, and minimise the actual distance to be covered provided the western side of State Circle is used as the link to Adelaide Avenue.
So, in conclusion, I submit that this package cannot be considered without also considering the overall purpose of the Civic-Woden light rail project. In my opinion that purpose is add transport capacity to the city, without diminishing in any way the utility and beauty of probably the most significant thoroughfare in the city.
I recommend that an alternative route for light rail be adopted with the achievement of transit times, at least by express services, equivalent to the current rapid bus system in both peak and off-peak times of the day.
There are alternatives that have been canvassed publicly, and by myself in letters to ACT Government members. The most attractive alternative I have discerned is to construct a light rail / bicycle / pedestrian crossing to the west of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The southern end of the new crossing would connect with John Flynn Drive and then onto State Circle ... the light rail could go clockwise or anti-clockwise around State Circle to meet up with Adelaide Avenue.
The perceived advantages of this alternative include, inter alia, 1. the preservation of Commonwealth Avenue and London Circuit as effective and efficient prime trunk routes, 2. the preservation of the broad and beautiful vista of Commonwealth Avenue as an approach to the Parliament House of Australia, and 3. offer some prospect that light rail between Civic and Woden might match the transit times being achieved by the current rapid bus system.
For light rail between Civic and Woden to succeed then it must encourage usage ... and if the transit time between the two town centres is greatly inferior to what can be achieved now then the project will be a failure in my opinion. The Greens have promised express services on the route in recognition of transit times being the key performance indicator. The Greens seem to think that this can be achieved by clever timetabling and by-pass tracks at various stations along the route.
The alternative route would further support minimal transit times as it would avoid two choke points at either end of Commonwealth Avenue, and minimise the actual distance to be covered provided the western side of State Circle is used as the link to Adelaide Avenue.
So, in conclusion, I submit that this package cannot be considered without also considering the overall purpose of the Civic-Woden light rail project. In my opinion that purpose is add transport capacity to the city, without diminishing in any way the utility and beauty of probably the most significant thoroughfare in the city.
I recommend that an alternative route for light rail be adopted with the achievement of transit times, at least by express services, equivalent to the current rapid bus system in both peak and off-peak times of the day.