Archive for the Meetings Category

GCC Community Meeting

11 July 2018

Gungahlin Library

6:30 – 8:30 pm

Chair: Peter Elford (President).

Attendees: see attendance log

An Integrated Transport Network for Canberra

A network of light rail and buses designed to offer greater service coverage and frequency, seven days a week at peak and off-peak times across Canberra.

Presentation by:

Kristin Blume from Transport Canberra

Megan Oldfield from Light Rail

Duncan Edgehill from DD Transport Canberra

Ian ? from Bus Networks

The Presenters were here to consult on new network design, planned to make a better public transport system which will attract more people onto public transport. Currently only 8% of the public use it.

Gungahlin is unique in having a light rail with new journey planners and a new ticketing system.  People will not necessarily need to use their My Way card but the question remains about  how trip information will be tracked.

The aim is to make the bus network more efficient and the planners are interested in any infrastructure ideas people may have.   We know rapid routes are popular. Half of all Canberrans will eventually live within walking distance of a rapid route in the new network.  Previously the northern part of Gungahlin was not well served by public transport.   This has been addressed and it is now  planned to have bi-directional loops.

Schools network.   The majority of students are using the ordinary bus network. In the new network 30% more trips will be going past schools.. More services will provide more flexibility for students. Investments are also planned for more customer service officers at interchanges.

Rapid service will be provided by frequent buses on trunk routes.

Questions from the floor:

• An important feature of the rapid routes is that they do have some stops on the way.   It is  not just a point-to-point service.  What is the walking distance?    As a yard-stick it is 800m to a rapid route and 500m to a local route.
• What is the difference in walking distance for a young person and a pensioner?    We have other services that can also be utilized.  For example demand services for pensioners.
• In using different technologies for paying fares have you thought of interstate solutions?   The ACT government is the first to move to an account based system
• The percentage of  Gungahlin within walking distance of public transport is 20%.    80% of people do not live within walking distance and travel time is too much.    With more frequent services there will be less waiting time.
• Is there any mechanism to ensure buses interconnect with each other? If people are  interchanging between Rapids the intent is to make transport so frequent that there will be no need to timetable it. Where we need to focus on  timetables, it is make sure they are sensible so that connections do occur.
• I think bidirectional is superb.
• People use Google Maps – have you set that up for new network?    It does not yet exist on Google Maps but work is being done in the background.
• The airport has no bus routes but a lot of people work there.   Why are you not proposing direct rapid there?   We have in new rapid network from Belconnen, through Civic to the airport
• Concerns about a student who has to take three buses in each direction to go to school.    If that person would like to provide specific details that will be welcomed.
• In planning for a new journey planner, will there be real time feedback? That already exists.
• With account based ticketing, is there no reason to include other account based service e.g. ride sharing?   Yes, priority will be given to bedding down transport.
• What will be done to improve on the chaos in interchanges – what does it mean from a passenger perspective?   We need to ensure signage and ‘way finding’ is right.  And also how different routes will align and how busy the queues are.
• Is the new network integrated or comparable with Light Rail?    Forefront of our thinking as that each time new suburb is built, is to look at when new bus services need to be installed.

Looking at implementing bus services:

• Gungahlin to Tuggeranong service – has not been planned but if feedback indicates a demand is in place then we will explore it.  There was an election commitment. We will take that back if there is a need for a community service.
• Crace bus services need to loop back to the marketplace.
• Gundaroo Drive stops needed also.
• We will be getting rid of some bus stops, including all ‘school only’ bus stops.
• When will the Nextbus signage occur?   They will be in within four weeks.

• When will light rail construction finish in the town centre?    The landscaping is complete, the stop is under construction. In August Capital metro is having a career expo for drivers, controllers and customer service officers.   August 16 is national rail safety week and we will have an event in Gungahlin.
• It would it be great to have light rail over both bridges to service all parts of network.   Time will tell.

• Bicycles – can we put bikes on Light Rail?   Four bikes per vehicle. There will be a specific area for them.
• LR vehicles in Sydney will be mostly standing.   Will that be the case here?  There will be about 60 seats per vehicle but will expect people to stand also. Stops are future-proofed to allow for expansion. Canberra’s model is closer to that of the Gold Coast
• Where will the Light Rail stop in Civic?   Alinga street.   The bus interchange will also be changed to better align to Light Rail and the new network.
• What are the facilities for park and ride and kiss and ride?    There are bus ‘pull outs’ for kiss and ride.   Nothing has been developed for park and ride specifically for this project.  We will think a lot about it and whether we will pursue it. It needs integration with ticketing.  Epic park and ride will come back on line once construction is complete.
• Frequency is every six minutes in peak time – what about other times? We will be increasing frequency for inter-peak to 15 minutes.
• What will be done to stop ‘platooning’?    Canberra is different from Melbourne given that it is not in congestion. Light rail will have signal priority.
• If light rail has priority does that mean buses don’t?   Buses wont run down Northbourne Ave. Where it does cross we have given consideration to the road surface.    The intersection of Flemington and Wells Station can become airborne.  There are multiple times that the contractor will touch an intersection.   We are  going through the process of finalising the work.
• In the town centre,  are you getting a sense about what LightRail will look like?     There will be a noticeable difference to when the bus station started up. Aesthetically it looks very nice, particularly when the awnings come down.
• Between Coles and Aldi we have a pedestrian  desire line.   Plants will grow to form a barrier.
• What are the Light Rail operations times?   Generally 0600-2400.
• Canberra Times said that testing started late.   Are we still on schedule?    The program is for  late 2018.  Mitchell will have a stop in stage 2.    Even if everything agreed processes, it means it would be able to commence in time for Light Rail stage 1.    The operating contract is complicated so other things need to be renegotiated.
• Will the bus network support the Light Rail till midnight?   We are trying to get to a point where the bus network matches the Light Rail operating hours.
• What do you have in mind to publicise how well the system works? We need to let people know it is working well and promote it.  Before it begins there will be a number of campaigns to promote the Light Rail. Once it is up and running there will be the numbers of people using it.
• When are the Orange buses going? We are getting rid of them as quickly as we can.  There are forty buses on order and another 80 coming. By 2022 we hope to have them totally phased out.
• Will there be a Park and Pedal site between Gungahlin and the city? I’ll take that on notice.
• What times are the carriages doing their testing?   At the moment between Nullarbor and Gungahlin we are testing different stages and different functionalities. The next section will be Downer to Mitchell, then to Dickson.
• What of active travel into Gungahlin terminus – paths into terminus and end of trip facilities? Will need to be examined.
• Park and ride is not very equitable.   It does not suit part time workers.. I have sympathy for that observation. Installing boom gates would require registering car registration with My Way card
• Closing slip lanes on Flemington Road at Mapleton Avenue would help improve traffic.  I’ll take that on notice.
• When will night works will finish?   As soon as we can. We are transitioning more from construction to testing, which will move towards the daytime activities.

Minutes taken by Andrew Braddock

GCC Community Meeting

13 June 2018

Gungahlin Club

6:30 – 8:30 pm

Chair: Henley Samuels (Vice-President).

Attendees: see attendance log

Agenda Item 1: Light Rail Update, Mark Jones, Deputy Project Director, Capital Metro and Steven Sancberg Director, Engineering, TCCS.

Presentation by Mark Jones, Deputy Project Director, and Glenn Stockton, CEO Capital Metro, on the current state of the Light Rail installation

Current status of the project construction

50% of the rail is now installed and over 300 trees have been planted.

In Gungahlin Place civil and landscaping works will be completed by the end of June.

Roadside barriers are progressively being removed along the Gungahlin corridor.

Asphalting of roads and line marking will occur in spring.

Safety messages are important as the overhead wires are now live and carry 750 volts.

These are six metres above the road.   A rigorous testing program will ensure the protection of the travelling public, especially trucks with over-height loads.

Pedestrians are encouraged to always cross at designated intersections and crossings.   The rails are set in concrete grooves so bikes should always cross at right angles to avoid getting stuck.   Basically people should obey the signals and normal road rules, which remain the same.

Questions from the floor

• What access has been planned for people with disability?  It was considered in the design stage.   All vehicles have low floors, which are level with Stops to allow for easy access.   There are no steps in the vehicles themselves.   Arrangements have also been made for sight-impaired people.
• Hours of operation?     From 0600-2300 weekdays, and till 0100 on weekends.
• When will street-lights along Flemington road be restored?  Progressively over next few weeks we will see these come on-line.
• What are the rules for carrying large objects and bikes on trams?    Will Meegan Fitzharris give an assurance that bikes will be able to stay on when the vehicles are full? Cannot speak for the Minister.
• The shelters are quite narrow.   How effective will they be at keeping people out of rain and sun?   The glass pane in the centre will keep out wind. These can encroach over the rail area. Steve Sancberg, Transport Canberra, replied that the reach of the canopies is larger than other similar systems and that there are sun lights in the shelters.
• Will there be any pedestrian access between Gungahlin and Aldi?    There will be two crossing points opposite the two entrances, since three access points from Coles there are desire lines between the two crossings. Landscaping will form a barrier.
• South of Wizard Road there is a severe angle of 45 degrees?  Will the bark chip there get washed away?  Once planted it will become stable.
• Confirmed operational by end of this year? Yes
• Will there be pedestrian lighting under bridges?  Will need to check and respond to that question
• Has asphalting at Wells Station been completed?   Not yet.
• Are the stations smoke-free?   Yes.
• Will the Mitchell station be built in next phase?  The ACT government announced it in the recent budget.
• How easy would it be to do it now?    It has not been planned in the current construction.
• How long will security cameras record?    They will retain the data for a period of time.

Agenda Item 2: Suzanne Orr MLA

Building Quality Inquiry

There is now a legislative assembly inquiry and submissions are invited.

Questions from floor

• What are the outcomes of 2016 recommendations?   Work is progressing.
• Are there any statistics on complaints?    That has been asked many times but comprehensive data is difficult to come by.
• The public does not know what elements of contracts can and cannot be changed.    The 2016 reforms will better inform consumers.
• Is this a result of changing certification?   It is the result of lots of things.
• Shouldn’t regulation have been in place in the first place?  The evolution is in hand with expansion.
• What about development applications?    Planning inquiry also in place
• Builders are ‘phoenixing’.   There needs to be a link to builders’ licences. This is something that is being examined.
• Will the changing certification scheme drive changes in liability. Changing the certification process will not change the liability responsibilities.
• Is there extra money in the budget for an extra assessor in EPSDD.  EPSDD have indicated staffing is ok.   Difficulties are just due to the complexity of the build.

Gungahlin Town Centre East Community Park

An on-line survey is seeking views on the new community linear park indicating that people are very keen for green space. Ms Orr asked for this meeting’s views.

Ideas from the floor:

• Play areas for young children, not for older kids.  These need to put in at an early stage to avoid getting ‘push back’ from the local community.
• Would like to see the government keep to their 2012 commitment for Casey park and will follow this up.
• The park at Crace near Gundaroo Drive is a really good example.
• A pinball parlour would be good.
• Suggestion for a very narrow green strip from north to south with a wall of concrete on either side.
• The town park is already suitable for community events.
• Access to electricity is important for community groups.
• The park requires integrated parking.
• Why can this not be done through the ‘Your Say’ Initiative from me as the local member rather than the government. It is a part of government. ‘Your Say’ is used by the directorates.
• Use of survey platforms on party websites collects information for campaigning purposes.    This is only being used for this express purposes, not for any other purpose.
• Is there any latitude to expand the space?   Works have started, feedback will be provided.
• They can put high rises down there.   It won’t bother anyone.
• There needs to be path lighting for night markets.
• Is there any budget allocated?   Is it all led within the suburban land agency?

Minutes taken by Andrew Braddock