Budget 2022-23

Started by Barry Drive, August 02, 2022, 11:00:22 PM

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Barry Drive

Budget details were posted today at 5pm.

Everything from last year has been re-published but with modified payment dates. The $37.5m for new buses is still listed - although I'm still not sure how leased buses are being shown as capital works. $3.8m this fin year, $21.2m next year,  $12.2m 24-25 year.

Also worth noting the ticket replacement project is now showing most of its outgoings next financial year ($2m this year, $22.5m next fin year) - with an end date of April 2024.

New Works listed are: "Improving safety on public transport" ($2.5m) - this could be new CCTV equipment for buses. (End date June 2024.)

"Supporting the transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet" ($6.225m) - which I assume are depot modifications for bus charging equipment. (End date June 2024)

There doesn't appear to be any allocation for new (purchased) electric buses and completion date for Woden Depot is now showing as June 2025.

More details later.

Barry Drive

#1
Found this reference:

Quote$2.5 million to support community safety by designing and procuring an improved closed-circuit television (CCTV) solution for buses.

Based on an advanced tender notice, this does appear to be just replacing the CCTV systems on the buses.

While an update is useful, I would have also liked improved CCTV coverage at major bus stops/interchanges to match the light rail stops, as well as Emergency contact points.

CCTV inside buses doesn't help for when you're waiting for one or walking to or from a stop.

Barry Drive

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has posted on Facebook that the Budget Estimates hearings has "uncovered" that:

- there is no timeframe or estimated cost for Light Rail to Woden (considering it's not included in this year's budget, is that even a relevant question for Budget Estimates?);

- no contract for the replacement ticket system has been signed (which, given all contracts get published when they are signed, is not a startling revelation).

The full transcript for Estimates should be available later in the week, so if there's anything actually new and relevant in them, I'll post them here.

Barry Drive

#3
Estimates hearings for Transport Canberra were held Thursday and Friday last week.

The transcript for Thursday has now been posted – you can download the PDF here if you would like to read it for yourself.

There was some extensive discussion about the ticket system replacement. In summary: contract not yet signed, but it does seem preferred system has been chosen; the minister is "optimistic" that it will be implemented next year.

Barry Drive

#4
Transcript for Friday is now available (PDF here). There's very little in it regarding Public Transport other than more questions about Light Rail stage 2A & 2B implementation dates. Nothing about new buses or bus infrastructure or bus routes.

The only thing that I found of interest was a question about how many additional trams will be needed for Stage 2B to Woden. The answer: approximately 11, depending on travel times to Woden and the number of spares needed.

EDIT: the question mentioned Stage 2B and the answer given was 11. No one sought to ask if that was 11 in addition to the 5 currently on order or 11 in total for all of Stage 2.

Why does it matter? An extra 16 trams would suggest that the expected travel time from Alinga St to Woden is approximately the same (or longer) than the current journey to Gungahlin - so around 26 minutes City to Woden. (Assuming same headway as the current timetable.)

But if it's only 11, that would mean a shorter elapsed time, maybe around 20 minutes.

I'm guessing the shadow Transport Minister didn't realise the implications of the answer.


Barry Drive

Quote from: Barry Drive on September 05, 2022, 11:34:37 AMNothing about new buses or bus infrastructure or bus routes.
PTCBR has tweeted that Greens MLA Jo Clay has subsequently asked some pertinent questions regarding electric bus procurement and Woden Depot construction.

1. The 12 leased Yutong buses are "expected" to be delivered by the end of the year. (This may not necessarily be all 12, and none may actually be in service this year.)

2. The existing depots can house a maximum of 16 electric buses: 12 at Tuggeranong and 4 at Belconnen. (This might suggest all 12 new buses will operate from Tuggeranong, but we'll know soon.)

3. The decision on the tender for the purchase of 90 electric buses should be completed by November 2022.

4. The contract to build Woden Depot signed in October 2018 is still valid. (I was under the impression that the contract had been terminated - obviously this was not the case.)

5. Woden Depot is expected to be completed by "late 2024". They anticipate 80 buses will initially be based there. (This might include the first few electric buses, but since the design does not include CNG fuelling, most of these buses are likely to be diesels.)