Elizabeth Lee, Canberra Liberals to scrap new light rail route if elected

The Canberra Liberals have vowed to cut plans for a light rail route to Woden, accusing the Barr Government of cutting funding from vital services to pay for the tram. Have your say in our poll.

The Canberra Liberals have vowed to scrap light rail to Woden if they are elected in 2024. Picture Kym Smith

The Liberals will scrap plans for a light rail route to Woden in Canberra’s south if they are elected in 2024, but the government has hit back saying it was possible do “more than one thing”.

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee accused the Barr Government of pulling “millions and millions” of dollars out of health, education, public housing community safety and road upgrades over the last four years to pay for the tram.

She also accused the federal government of siphoning over $86m previously allocated for road upgrades in the city to the light rail project.

“My vision for the future of Canberra is where we can reinvest in health education, public housing, police safety and road upgrades and basic local maintenance,” she said.

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has vowed to scrap light rail to Woden if elected. Generic

“That’s what I want to see for the future of Canberra, and that is why the Canberra Liberals will not proceed with stage 2b to Woden.”

Ms Lee said the situation in Canberra was “extremely different” to when the government proposed light rail stage one, which goes from Civic to Gungahlin in Canberra’s far north.

Render of ACT Government plans to raise London Circuit in Civic. Picture: ACT Government

She said there were genuine questions about Gungahlin’s connectivity and public transport access.

“(We’ve been) listening to our community, particularly to those on the southside who have raised significant concerns,” she said.

“In fact, it is actually the public transport advocates down in the southside who are very concerned.

“(They’re concerned) their bus routes – the ones they currently take from Woden to Civic, which is about 15 minutes, will be cut, and they will be forced onto the light rail, which will take (almost 30 minutes).”

The Opposition Leader said the government had “refused to be upfront and transparent” with Canberrans about the cost of the project and the time frame.

“We know that over twenty years of Labor and the Greens at the helm, Canberra now has the worst waiting times in our hospitals,” Ms Lee said.

“Real funding of education has gone backwards with a teacher shortage that is having a huge impact on our students’ education.

“Schools are being closed down due to violence and hazardous material.

“(We have) the smallest police force per capita in the nation’s history. We have millions and millions being ripped out of public housing.”

Responding to Ms Lee’s statements Chief Minister Andrew Barr said it was possible for the government to do “more than one thing”.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said failing to provide new light rail routes could cripple the development of the growing city of Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He also said failing to build public transport infrastructure could hamper the growing city.

“For the last ten years the ACT has been the fastest growing jurisdiction in Australia,” Mr Barr said.

“Our population is going to hit through half a million people this decade most likely in 2027.

“If you’re worried about congestion now and we don’t make these investments we won’t remain a 20 minute city.

“(Being a 20 minute city) is one of our key advantages - its being able to move around efficiently, effectively and sustainably.”

Responding to concerns about the tramline impeding effective bus routes between Civic and Woden, Mr Barr said Ms Lee’s analysis “assumes no increase in congestion between now and the completion of the light rail route”.

“(With increased population there will be) more people on the road - it’s going to lead to more congestion,” he said.

In response to Ms Lee’s announcement Public Transport Association of Canberra chair Ryan Hemsley released a brief response: “Good luck with that.”

The ACT Government is currently undertaking works to raise London Circuit in Civic.

Because the proposed light rail route will travel over Lake Burley Griffin and other areas of national significance, the ACT Government will require approval from the National Capital Authority to proceed with the plan.

The NCA is a federal statutory body which controls areas of the Nation’s Capital deemed to have national significance, such as the parliamentary triangle.

Despite federal and territory funding of the plan, the NCA still needs to approve the light rail stage two plans and has only authorised works at London Circuit.