Letter to the Canberra Times

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Eric Rayner (Letters, 24/6) is incorrect in stating that Canberra "was
planned as a car-based city". Walter Burley Griffin's 1912 plan included a
suburban railway from "Eastlake" (now Kingston) to North Canberra.

He fought very hard against strong opposition to get a railway into what
is now Garema Place in 1921. Other political interests prevented the
railway from being reopened after the Molonglo rail bridge was washed away
in 1923.

Burley Griffin also designed streets such as Northbourne Ave and Ainslie
Ave with wide median strips to carry trams. There is no reason why we
can't build light rail exactly where the city's designer had planned.

Mr Rayner (along with the current government) fails to see that a reliable
public transport system also benefits motorists. Public transport reduces
the number of cars on the road, reduces congestion and allows shorter
journey times. A poor public transport system induces more car travel,
increases congestion, increases journey times and the increases the amount
of public money required to maintain the roads.

The question is not whether we can afford an efficient public transport
system. Can we afford not to have one?

David Bromage
Lyneham

[address supplied]