April 2017: Light Rail comes to Canberra

Transport Canberra has commenced construction on the Light Rail Network for the capital of Australia. Construction of stage one is underway on the 12 kilometre City to Gungahlin corridor. The ACT Government has also endorsed stage two, the City to Woden corridor.

Light rail is like a tram that can operate at low speeds on streets and at high speeds in dedicated corridors. Light rail operates at road level and is electric, receiving power through overhead wires or through recharging when braking.

A fleet of 14 vehicles will operate the first stage between Gungahlin to the City with a total capacity of 207 passengers (66 seats + 141 standees). Each vehicle will be 30 metres long and 2.65 metres wide. The maximum continuous service speed will be 70 km/h.

The 12 kilometre stage one route will have 13 stops and take 6 minutes from terminal to terminal. During off-peak times it will take 10-15 minutes from Gungahlin to the City.

The Light Rail concept was in Walter Burley Griffin's original plan for the city of Canberra in 1912.

The Light Rail is expected to commence in late 2018 or early 2019.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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