Canberra’s public transport a point of contention for the major parties ahead of ACT election
How to best move Canberrans around the city has long been a point of contention between the ACT's main parties. When it comes to public transport, they're all are promising more frequent weekday buses and better services on weekends – all using electric vehicles. But light rail remains a sticking point, and it's a debate that could continue long beyond polling day.
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TVTranscript
00:00It was to be the election that ended the debate on light rail to Woden until maybe it wasn't.
00:08The Canberra Liberals have vowed to axe Stage 2B, saying they won't extend the line further
00:13south than the section currently being built to Commonwealth Park.
00:17They argue it could cost billions, will take too long to build and will mean longer travel
00:22times between Woden and the city.
00:25Instead they want to add more than 500 buses to transport Canberra's fleet over 10 years,
00:30with some to be built locally, despite there currently being no local vehicle manufacturing
00:35industry.
00:36And they want busways from the city through Woden as far as Farrer.
00:41Labor maintains it wants to build light rail to Woden, arguing it will likely split the
00:46cost with the Commonwealth, similar to Stage 2A, though the price tag can't be confirmed
00:51until planning and approvals are completed.
00:54The party has also promised to expand the bus fleet by 110 vehicles over four years.
01:00The Greens want much the same, though they say light rail to Woden is taking too long,
01:05with construction currently expected between 2028 and 2033, and they say it should go further
01:11south to Mawson.
01:13And through the election campaign, the Chief Minister has confirmed contracts for Stage
01:182B likely won't be signed until 2028, after the next election.
01:24So depending on the outcome this Saturday, the stage could be set for further debate
01:28on light rail in the years to come.