Stage two of light rail is progressing with Minister for Transport Chris Steel announcing more detail today. Minister Steel explained that the 2A extension will add 1.7km of wire-free track from the Alinga Street station, along the western side of London Circuit and onto Commonwealth Avenue, finishing at Commonwealth Park. The Minister added that to support wire-free running, new and existing light rail vehicles will be fitted with onboard energy storage with regenerative braking capability. Grassed tracks are also proposed on the Commonwealth Avenue median.
“Running wire-free through London Circuit will mean a narrower track built in the middle of the road, taking up less space as Light Rail will be running in the road median,” Minister Steel commented “As Light Rail Stage 2A turns on to Commonwealth Avenue, wire-free running will also ensure that the heritage vistas along Commonwealth Avenue are maintained. We are investing in infrastructure now to ensure Canberra doesn’t end up congested like Sydney. We are getting on with the job of taking light rail to Woden. We want to build on the success of the first stage of light rail, and this is the next step in the process to take those benefits to Woden.”
Minister Steel said the project was progressing as expected to the next stage of the Commonwealth environmental approval process.
“This decision from the Federal Government reinforces our choice to deliver light rail to Woden in two stages. The process of assessment for Stage 2A means we can get on with the job of extending light rail to Woden sooner.” Minister Steel commented “We always expected that an extensive EIS process would be required for the more complex stage 2B extension through the Parliamentary Triangle under the Commonwealth environmental approval process,”.
