The light rail question – who stands to benefit?
Using the concept of 'mega projects', JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED wonder aloud why millions of taxpayers dollars are being promised to uncosted light rail and who, ultimately, stands to benefit.
light rail
"The Commonwealth's largesse is a bad deal in that it foists a project on the ACT that we, quite clearly, cannot afford." JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED reveal how the federal government is pork barreling the tram. But why?
The contentious construction progress of light rail continues to evoke responses from CityNews readers, most of whom are refusing to lie down and let the government's tram spin roll over them. Here are the latest letters.
"We would be grateful if either Prime Minister Albanese or Chief Minister Barr would cease treating us with such contempt and release the light rail business case." JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED revisit the political miseries of light rail.
Opinion
Bloody minded politics is what’s driving the tram
"The construction of light rail stage 2a is bloody minded and is a reckless approach to development issues," writes planning columnist MIKE QUIRK.
Political commentary
With so much debt, can we even afford light rail?
"The government’s approach is to keep the noise going and ignore criticism. Keep the focus on a side issue rather than the fundamentals. Light rail is the side issue. The state of the ACT budget is the real concern," writes MICHAEL MOORE.
Opinion
Who ‘voted’ for light rail? Less than half of us
"With an operating deficit of $1 billion and net debt tracking to $12 billion, it's reasonable to ask whether the woeful state of the ACT budget may justifiably be attributed to this single project," write JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED.
"We could be up for $6.6 billion all up for Stages 1 and 2. By about 2038 we may be paying installments on all three stages – nearly $1.6 billion that year!" RICHARD JOHNSTON analyses what light rail is really costing the ACT.
Letter writer MIKE QUIRK wonders why the ACT government didn't analyse the relative cost of alternatives for the light rail extension to Woden?
"It's time the government developed an evidence-based strategy as it can no longer afford to base planning decisions on platitudinous twaddle, writes planning columnist MIKE QUIRK.
Closing London Circuit for at least two years for light rail stage 2a will see small businesses collapse and jobs lost if nothing is done to support them, says ACT Liberal leader Leanne Castley.
"Hopefully politicians will learn from LA that spending funds on fortifying our city against the natural disasters of climate change is more important than running a tram to Woden before it is too late," writes BEATRICE BODART-BAILEY.
Construction will start on light rail stage 2A from February to add three new stops at Edinburgh Avenue, City South and Commonwealth Park.
If the appropriateness of light rail and better alternatives are not the National Capital Authority’s concern, what are the criteria on which their approval will be based, wonders Prof BEATRICE BODART-BAILEY.
Letter writer JACK KERSHAW sees and emerging Acton Peninsula as the logical place for the light rail to cross the lake. Walter Burley Griffin's unbuilt third bridge suggests Mr Kershaw has a point.
"For transport strategies to be more effective a better understanding of travel behaviour is needed. The choice of transport mode is influenced by convenience, comfort, time, income and cost," writes former planner MIKE QUIRK.
The time has come for Chief Minister Andrew Barr to do the decent thing and fall on his political sword, says The Gadfly columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
The total cost for 1.7 kilometres of light rail stage 2A will cost more than $1.46 billion, based on answers from the Chief Minister to the Assembly's Budget Review Committee.
All up (build plus 20 years operations and maintenance), light rail Stage 2 to Woden will be about $5.2 billion ($1.7 billion for 2A and $3.5 billion for 2B. Hair-raising stuff, says letter writer MAX FLINT.
