The National Capital Authority has granted Works Approval to the ACT Government for stage 2A of light rail: from its current southern terminus at Alinga Street to a new stop at Commonwealth Park.

“After careful consideration and an extensive public consultation process, the NCA has concluded the Stage 2A works are consistent with the National Capital Plan requirements,” a spokesperson said.

“This extension will provide a much-needed public transport connection between the city centre and Commonwealth Park, and will help to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the city centre,” NCA chief executive chief executive Sally Barnes said.

The NCA received the Works Approval application in December 2022. The ACT Government submitted further required information in March. The NCA then consulted the community between March and May, and received 68 public submissions.

The community raised the following issues:

• Safety and accessibility
• Well-designed, comfortable, and user-friendly public light rail stops
• Seamless connections between different modes of transport
• Careful planning to mitigate congestion, improve traffic flow, and minimise disruptions
• The overall impact on the urban environment and public spaces

63 per cent of submissions considered that the NCA should approve the works approval as presented, but 28 per cent considered the proposal should not proceed.

“The NCA considered a variety of different criteria, such as the quality of the public realm, community amenity, environment, heritage, and landscape values,” an NCA spokesperson said.

Last week, the NCA stated that the route might need to be redirected, due to heritage-listed rock cuttings near Parliament House, as the ABC reported.

“Other issues raised by the community during the consultation process have been referred to the ACT Government.”

The ACT Government, as the project builder and owner, will consider and decide on matters relating to transport mode selection, alternative options, and project costs, a spokesperson said.

The approval does not encompass the broader Light Rail Stage 2B to Woden proposal. The NCA will consider future options put forward by the ACT Government.

Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Transport and City Services, said the NCA approval was “a major step in delivering light rail to Woden”.

“The extension of the popular light rail line will transform the southern part of the CBD into a better place for people with public transport connectivity to major employment and recreation precincts in City West, the ANU, City South, Acton Waterfront and Commonwealth Park,” Mr Steel said.

“Now that we have all relevant major approvals for this part of the works, the Government will now shift focus to the detailed planning and design required to determine the future alignment and delivery for the remaining part of the mass-transit line to Woden.

“The ACT Government included $50 million in the 2023-2024 budget to progress planning work for Stage 2B with consultation to begin next year.

“I thank the Commonwealth for their support in delivering this important piece of city shaping infrastructure that will support thousands of jobs and make Canberra a more sustainable and vibrant city as our population grows.”

Catherine King MP, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, said that the Commonwealth and ACT Governments would work closely on future stages of Light Rail Stage 2. Through extensive public consultation and careful consideration of the required criteria, the NCA had ensured the infrastructure was consistent with the National Capital Plan, and work on the “nationally significant” project could continue.

Alicia Payne MP, Federal Member for Canberra, said: “A well-run and reliable public transport system will be crucial as the national capital continues to grow, and this works approval marks an important milestone in bringing the light rail to south Canberra. Light rail is good for the environment and good for our city as it grows into the future.”

But Canberra Liberals MLA Mark Parton, Shadow Minister for Transport, argued the government announcement was spin.

“This is the biggest non-announcement ever,” Mr Parton said.

“Labor and the Greens are desperate for anything that they can spin as a positive on the tram, and this is seriously the best that they can find.

“The National Capital Authority has given approval to a project which the ACT Government has already started. It begs the question, what would the government have done if it wasn’t approved?

“All of the press releases make it clear that this has no relevance to Stage 2B, and indeed the NCA has raised serious concerns about the preferred route for Stage 2B, as well as indicating that any planning approvals for Stage 2B are ‘many years away’. (Read more.)

“The NCA Chief Executive Sally Barnes, when asked recently on ABC radio whether or not Stage 2B would be built at all, said that she didn’t know whether it would be constructed.

“ACT voters are well aware that the Minister responsible for this white elephant has already presided over the $76 million botched HRIMS project (read more) and fanciful CIT contract saga (read more). Is Chris Steel steering the ship into another iceberg?”

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