Southern Woden Valley and Tuggerong residents would be among those to benefit from a possible extension of Light Rail Stage 2B to Mawson, the ACT Greens said today, in a commitment to include the proposed extension as part of the Stage 2 business case.
The Greens also proposed that the cost-benefit analysis considerations of the extended route should include:
two additional stops, at Phillip and Mawson
including a potential expansion of the busy Mawson Park & Ride car park so that passengers from the southern half of Woden Valley, as well as Tuggeranong, could easily access light rail
a possible terminus at the intersection of Athllon Drive, Mawson Drive and Beasley Street, connecting with the Park & Ride, schools and Southlands Shopping Centre
commencing at the same time, or shortly after, the opening of light rail Stage 2B (Civic to Woden).
The ACT Government currently plans to deliver Light Rail Stage 2A to Commonwealth Park, and Stage 2B from Commonwealth Park to Woden Town Centre.
As stated by ACT Greens candidate for Murrumbidgee, Emma Davidson:
“The ACT Greens want to create a sustainable, connected city, replacing the congestion of the 20th Century with a green, active 21st Century city.
“An extension of Light Rail to Mawson would be hugely beneficial to many residents in the south. Light rail has already been enormously popular on the northside of the city.
“Given that light rail from the City to Woden has been split into two stages, and that the second stage has been delayed by complicated federal planning approvals for the Parliamentary Triangle, there is now time to better consider the Mawson extension. We can help keep costs down by getting this work underway at the same time as construction gets underway for the initial Civic to Commonwealth Park section.
“Considering this option in the business case will ensure the right cost-benefit assessments are completed before we commit to an extended route.”
The ACT Greens full Mawson Light Rail package is at: greens.org.au/act/mawson-light-rail
