>David Bromage wrote:
>
>> So it's going to be nothing more than a tourist line? Canberra really
>> needs a decent light rail network dur to its spread out nature.
>
>More importantly, Canberra needs to do something about its spread out
>nature.
Strange about Canberra's spread out nature. When I did a geography
assignment when in high school in Canberra I never realised how much
thought went into the city. It is common knowledge that the main roads
in the centre of the city (Northborne Ave, Ainslie, Limstone etc) were
all designed for what we would nowdays call lightrail. But even the
suburbs designed much much later (60, 70's and 80's) were all designed
to much the same standard with the same reasoning. It was always the
NCDC's desire for trams, however the routes they would have been best
suited to are what are now the 333 intertown bus routes. Also the
basic design features of Canberra (ie spread out self supporting town)
are only now starting to show their floored nature.
A lightrail link down Northborne from a terminus just short of
London circuit to Gungalhin would be a good start. Added advantages
would be the line would serve EPIC (show grounds/racecourse) and a
depot could be easily built in Mitchell. Run modern trams (3 car
variotram) and suppliment them during the show and other major events
with the aformentioned W's from melbourne if they ever release them.
Also build a park and ride station somwhere in Mitchell as well.
Next run a line from Gungalhin to Belconnen and thence back to the
city. With all the congestion that is on Northborne these days a tram
with limited stops would have no problem competing time wise with cars
and buses.
Then start to look south to Woden and Tuggeranong. Although a line
to Woden from the city would have to cross the lake and go around the
tunnel of Parliment in a road lane.
All the other lines would not have to run on road surfaces except to
cross roads!!!.
Pitty it wasn't done long ago as now the cost would be far too much
now, so all I can do is dream on. (And to think I shall be returning
to this part of the country in a month or so's time!!!)