The ACT Greens have pledged to add two additional light rail stops and expand the Mawson Park and Ride to service those in the Southern Woden Valley and Tuggeranong areas.
The election commitment was announced on Wednesday and proposed additional stops be placed in Phillip and Mawson.
ACT Greens Murrumbidgee candidate Emma Davidson said the expansion could look to start construction as soon as the Woden stop opens.
“The ACT Greens want to create a sustainable, connected city, replacing the congestion of the 20th Century with a green, active 21st Century city,” she said.
“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.”
Plans for the light rail network has Stage 2A going to Commonwealth Park, and Stage 2B extending to the Woden Town Centre.
The ACT Greens will push to have the Phillip and Mawson extension added into the Stage 2B planning before Stage 3 in the Belconnen area commences.
“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,” Ms Davidson said.
“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 proposed terminus for the stop would be at the intersection of Athllon Drive, Mawson Drive and Beasley Street, aiming to service the Park and Ride, Marist College and Melrose High School and surrounding residential areas.
The plan is yet to be costed by the party, which stated an engineering investigation would be needed to ensure it is financially viable.
