Stanhope invites input into draft City Plan

[Barry Drive]

MEDIA RELEASE (12/2/2010):

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope today released the draft Greater Canberra City Area Co-ordinated Action Plan 2010-2016 saying it afforded a unique opportunity for teamwork and goal-sharing between theACT Government, corporate players and Canberrans.

He said the 60-page Plan was prepared to help advance the Canberra Plan goal for Canberra City to be the dynamic heart of the region, and asks Canberrans to consider key issues including modes of transport, parking facilities, cycle and pedestrian networks, street frontages and public safety.

It offers possible strategies for dealing with a doubling in the number of City residents from 5200 to 10,400 by 2016, along with a 25% increase in workers during the same period.

The draft plan, prepared by the ACT Department of Land and Property Services, also questions what transport links, services and parking spaces the City will need.

Mr Stanhope said: "This draft Action Plan adopts nine specific targets which focus on enhancing Canberra City - from Haig Park to Lake Burley Griffin - as a great place for people to live and thrive."

He said one of the keys to "building a stronger City heart" was to marry future designs and plans with ongoing population growth anticipated over the next seven years.

"By 2016 some 2km of new and upgraded shared use path is likely to be built to improve cycle and pedestrian access through areas east of Northbourne Avenue, and to improve connections between City East and City West.

"The Action Plan's targets are integrated, and together they work to maintain the City's existing high level of accessibility and functionality, help improve Canberra's environmental footprint, enhance City's vitality and urban lifestyle, and optimise utilisation of existing transport and other infrastructure."

Mr Stanhope said the draft Action Plan was not a fait accompli.

"It will contribute to broader discussions that will lead to clearer priorities and common goals."

He said the Greater City Area, through natural growth alone over the next seven years, was set to attract around $1.5 billion in private sector investment.

"We need to meet the demands of that growth.

"Much of the City's public infrastructure is almost 40 years old, and paths, lighting and design of the open spaces need to be adapted to increasing changes in the urban character."

Mr Stanhope also said some areas formerly peripheral to the City were now integral to the city's urban form and need to link into a unified whole.

"The Action Plan aims to contribute significantly towards that and, in time, will help determine the level of public investment appropriate to the Greater Canberra City over the coming years."

"I encourage everyone to read this Plan. Your input is valuable to us, and to our future."

The consultation period for public input into the plan ends Tuesday 16 March 2010.

Copies of the Greater Canberra City Area Coordinated Action Plan 2010-2016 are available at http://www.communityengagement.act.gov.au/

[Barry Drive]

To comment on the parts which relate to public transport: it resurrects the proposed City Buslane along Rudd / Bunda St including a modified (traffic light controlled) intersection at Barry Dr and Kingsley St, but then it mentions that Alinga St should also be considered and that Marcus Clarke St be upgraded to 4 lanes between Alinga St and Barry Dr (2 each way).

There's also some mention of bus priority at London Circuit, traffic lights at Alinga St/West Row/Moore St (removing the pedestrian crossings), discussion of bus stops on London Circuit at City West.

But the glaring omission is ANY discussion about keeping/upgrading/moving/expanding or doing anything at all about City Interchange. Despite proposals for more offices and more residential there is nothing about increasing bus capacity or making bus travel more attractive for the City retail precinct.

[Buzz Killington]

This may be something worth expanding into a new thread, but is there really a need for the City Interchange? Surely a 'stations' format with adequate shelter is something that could be achieved, which would also give benefit to City West with the major increase in office space coming online in the next few years.

Bus priority measures in the City is definitely something that needs to be looked at.

[Barry Drive]

City Interchange is almost a "stations with shelter" format now - except for those stops which don't even have shelters. But this was pretty much my question: are there alternatives to City Interchange?

For instance, could City utilise the far-side terminus theory? This way, all services would use City Interchange to drop off and pick up only. There would be no laying over as this would be done at a separate terminus. City West would be one far-side terminus and perhaps another one to the south/east - for instance in the car park behind the Legislative Assembly (cnr London Crt/Akuna St). Services travelling north would commence in the East terminus and services travelling south would commence in City West. There would need to be some improvement in bus priority along Alinga St and London Crt to get the maximum benefit. Unlike Belconnen, you wouldn't need to have all services serving all stops as long as all services go through the Interchange.