Don’t forget, buses will replace almost half of Canberra’s light rail service for a fortnight from Sunday, with the partial shutdown set to make way for the construction of a new $12 million stop at Sandford Street in Mitchell. 

All light rail stops between EPIC and the end of the line, Gungahlin Place, will be closed from Sunday 10 January to Saturday 23 January.

Commuters along that section will be required to board buses that will travel between Gungahlin Place and Dickson Interchange, and transport authorities recommend allowing additional time when making a trip during the shutdown of that section. 

The light rail service will continue to run between Alinga Street (Civic) and EPIC throughout the fortnight, meaning people boarding at stops between those points will not need to adjust their travel plans. 

There will be another partial shutdown from late February to early March. 

How will commuters be affected?

It depends on the route you intend to travel. 

• Inner North travel
  
  Passengers travelling between Dickson Interchange, Swinden Street, Phillip Avenue and EPIC & Racecourse can continue to travel on light rail, or they can use replacement bus services if they are travelling north of EPIC.
  
• Travel to Gungahlin area
  
  Passengers travelling into the Gungahlin area from stops at Alinga Street, Elouera Street, Ipima Street or Macarthur Avenue are encouraged to transfer to a rail replacement bus service at Dickson Interchange. 

Where do replacement buses depart from? 

Replacement bus stops will be adjacent to light rail stops, meaning passengers can still hitch a ride near their usual platform. 

Don’t look for an ACTION bus; the replacement service will be provided by Qcity.

Buses will depart from Platform 3 at Gungahlin Place and Platform 2 at Dickson Interchange. 

How often will the replacement bus run? 

The replacement bus service will run every 3-15 minutes, which is a higher frequency than the normal light rail schedule.

How often will the light rail run? 

Light rail services will continue to operate to the normal frequency between EPIC & Racecourse and Alinga Street.

Do I still have to touch on?

The bus service will be free, and passengers will not be required to tap on and off when entering and exiting Qcity replacement buses. 

Passengers will still be required to pay a fare when travelling on the light rail. 

What does the light rail shutdown mean for drivers?

The EPIC Park & Ride will remain operational for the duration of the works and passengers can transfer from here onto light rail services travelling to the city.

Motorists will not be able to turn right into Morisett Road from Flemington Road.

One lane will be closed in each direction on Flemington Road near the Sandford Street intersection.

Some drivers may need to allow extra time for travel, with the speed limit on Flemington Road reduced to 40km/h adjacent to the construction site.

Does this affect cyclists and pedestrians? 

In short, no. 

Access to bicycle paths and on-road cycling will be maintained during construction.

All pedestrian access will be maintained; however, the signalised pedestrian crossing located at the southern end of the Flemington Road and Sandford Street/Morisset Road intersection will be detoured to the northern signalised pedestrian crossing until mid-year 2021.

For more information, visit www.transport.act.gov.au or call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.