Adelaide City Council in push to extend tram network to North Adelaide
EXTENDING Adelaide’s tram network to North Adelaide is set to be hotly pursued by the city council for the next two years.
EXTENDING Adelaide’s tram network to North Adelaide is set to be hotly pursued by the city council for the next two years.
The city council will on Tuesday night vote on whether to accept a new City of Adelaide Visitor Economy Action Plan for 2018-2020.
The council’s tourism plan is being updated to coincide with a change of State Government, and shift the council’s priorities if they no longer suit the political landscape.
The current tram extension along North Tce has been plagued by problems under two separate governments, and the Liberals ruled out trams to Norwood, Unley and the Adelaide Airport during the state election.
Labor promised a $259m tram extension to North Adelaide during the election.
However, the new plan says the council plans “action” on an extension of the tram service into North Adelaide.
As part of the North Tce extension, a stop at the Festival Centre for gameday at Adelaide Oval has also been built but that is as far north as the line goes.
University of Adelaide senior lecturer Dr Jennifer Bonham, who specialises in sustainable transport and mobility, said a council push for a North Adelaide tram extension was a sensible idea.
“To service our city properly, we really need high-quality transport,” she said.
“Having a tram extension out there to North Adelaide makes absolute sense,” she said. “It’s quite a congested area, but the beauty of a tram is that it doesn’t get caught in congestion like our buses can in Adelaide.”
The idea of a tram line has been a controversial one in the North Adelaide community, over fears the area’s streets just aren’t big enough to cater for both cars and a tram line.
North Ward Councillor Phil Martin said he believed extending the tram line to North Adelaide would have many benefits.
“It would provide great connections both ways for residents, businesses and visitors,” he said.
“It would bring more people to the area and really help businesses.
“But if it goes through O’Connell St, there will need to be a rethink of how traffic movement occurs through there and what parking is available.
“That would be something the council would have to work with the State Government and the Department (of Planning and Transport) on.”
The State Government has said a North Adelaide spur and city loops would be considered by an independent expert body to see if they stack up.
In May, Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said expanding the city tram line to Adelaide Oval was a “no-brainer” and an expansion to North Adelaide was still on the agenda.
An “Adelaide Card” is also part of the action plan, which would give visitors incentives to explore tourist attractions.