10 reasons to get on board with the light rail

Posted on 2 July, 2014

Call it our cosmopolitan moment – in April we found out we were getting an Ikea, in May we were secretly reviewed as ‘awesome’ by the New York Times, last week we topped the charts of the most liveable city and this week we get a tram.

I am more excited than when Sydney won the Olympics … really I am.

I have the New York Times article permanently open on my smartphone just in case a transient Melbournite wants to dish the place; I’m walking the lake in near freezing temperatures smiling and silently reciting ‘most liveable’ in my head; I’ve bought a special set of allen keys for the moment IKEA Canberra opens its doors; and now I have the chance in the not-too-distant future to catch a tram like a modern chic urban citizen.

And its been snowing – making it feel kind of like Christmas and that we should all be in one of those Ralph Lauren winter commercials wearing high neck woolen jumpers with perfect children.

But I digress. Light rail is a big deal for Canberra.

The ease with which we get around our city is the single biggest thing that determines how liveable Canberra really is and will be. Ask anyone who used to do the 4.51pm exodus from Russell on the once nasty roundabout or commuters north to south each morning on the Tuggeranong Parkway.

Bravery, hard work and vision brought Canberra to life and now we need to embrace a new vision, tap our courage and add a very pragmatic but critical layer to the evolving canvas that is our city.

If you are not on board with the idea of a light rail then let me share a few reasons why I think it’s a brilliant idea.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeuFLjA4nmM]

Walter wanted it

In the initial plans for Canberra there was a rail network – a dedicated public transport network to service the city and the parliamentary triangle.

That’s right. The man that designed a city for the car also made sure there was public transport in the heart of the city.

If it is good enough for Walt it is good enough for me.

Our moment is now

We are not an accidental place.

We are a people connected to this landscape for thousands of years and who challenged, considered, conceived and created a planned city – in relative peace.

We forget, at times, that the bravery, hard work and vision created the first layer of Canberra and that this is still needed to keep creating Canberra for the future.

It is part of our Canberra DNA to be bold; to see what is possible; and to find brilliant ways to make it happen.

Resisting change in the face of a growing population would leave us with the Sydney syndrome – a great city struggling to get its people around.

Civic has had a triple bypass and needs a lifestyle change

The heart of our city has long been a going concern. The only thing that can fundamentally change the city is to make it an attractive urban centre to live, work and play.

We are getting there. And a light rail, combined with residential and commercial infill would see the coolness of Braddon make its way through the Civic streetscape and boost the vibrancy of our city centre.

Light rail is cool

There is a smoothness to light rail – it can make you feel like you are on the Jetsons – silently and gently whisked away to destination without the jerky stop start of a bus in traffic.

It’s like space travel for those who can’t afford Richard Branson’s Virgin Shuttle.

Its greener than cars parked on Northbourne

Anything that gets cars off the road – even for a portion of a trip is a good thing. It means the bush capital is also a capital that is kind to the bush.

You will meet the love of your life

No guarantees. But aren’t you more likely to catch the eye of the beautiful stranger on your way to or from work on the light rail than sitting solo in a car in traffic?

You can smart phone to your hearts content

If you didn’t get the memo – it is illegal to text and drive and even to pick up your phone while in charge of a vehicle. But on light rail – smoothly gliding along – you can text, chat, update, play games, listen to music, meditate til its time to hop off.

Trams don’t get stuck in traffic

Light rail has a dedicated lane right down the centre of Northbourne, making it reliable and frequent.

You get to have a say about where it should stop

I lived with a bus stop … on a downward hill … outside my window. No further explanation is required here – except that I am immune to the sound of bus brakes. Light rail is much quieter than a bus and in the centre of the road so away from the curbside.

It means you could conveniently have a tram stop just across the road.

Northbourne avenue is our front door – we need something hot in the drive

Summernats aside. Most of the year Northborne is just your typical wide Canberra road. It doesn’t scream ‘Welcome to the CAPITAL of Australia’ but more ‘mind the reno we haven’t really finished the place yet’. Something hot in the national capital driveway would go one step to changing that initial impression.

Entering the city with a modern light rail gliding past would make you feel like you were heading somewhere modern, important, where people want to be, that is vibrant, dynamic, loveable and …. liveable.

That is everything we know Canberra to be and what the world is just discovering about us.

Where do you sit on the light rail issue?