“A fraction of the money saved by not extending the tram to Woden could be used turning the Kingston Railway Station compound into a welcoming and convenient environment for tourists and business travellers alike,” writes BEATRICE BODART-BAILEY.

Does nobody else consider it absurd that the Federal Budget provides a mere $50 million to upgrade a rail service between Sydney and Canberra where daily some 3000 people travel by either coach or air plus tens of thousands more commute by car on the Federal Highway?

A 2016 study for a fast (NOT very fast) train estimated that there would be demand from 10.68 million passengers a year, or 29,273 a day. With the population increase in the last decade that number would be considerably higher. Not just the CO2 but, more importantly, the lives saved by a fast train as an alternative to using the accident-prone highway would be significant.

Compare this sum with the $6 billion estimated to bring a non-climate-resilient tram from Civic to Woden with the required bridges and tunnels, destroying the uniqueness of our parliamentary triangle. Passenger numbers will be low, regardless of whether the rapid bus (taking about half the time of the proposed tram extension) is continued or not.

Few commuters will put up with doubling the time of their commute and the use of private, shared cars (in a few years’ time, driverless) will increase if the rapid bus is discontinued.

If it is not, who – except the few residing within an easy walk to a tram stop (even fewer during the extreme weather events of climate change) – will want to daily ramble around Parliament House?

Moreover, buses around the parliamentary triangle are not well patronised with free parking for those working in Parliament House and most others earning sufficient to not want to waste their precious time on public transport.

Of course, the required odd $6 billion for the extension of the tram will have to come out of the ACT budget where, as Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed have repeatedly shown, the debt has already mounted to crushing proportions.

Any amounts from the Federal Budget are later equalised, that is, are subtracted from the GST the ACT would otherwise receive; a fact some politicians seem to be blissfully unaware of.

A fraction of the money saved by not extending the tram to Woden could be used turning the Kingston Railway Station compound into a welcoming and convenient environment for tourists and business travellers alike, with direct, rapid bus connections to the airport, Woden, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin and beyond in addition to the existing ones.

The increase of tourists at Canberra’s innumerable festivals, sporting and cultural events plus visitors to national institutions might even make it profitable for the ACT to offer more than the proposed $25 million to the project.

Prof Beatrice Bodart-Bailey, via citynews.com.au

Better rail connection to the airport, please

Federal Budget funding to upgrade the Canberra-Sydney rail service is very welcome news, long overdue, but welcomed.

As part of the upgrade, the NSW Government should expand the platform at Wolli Creek Station to allow stops for the Canberra service. This would enable passengers travelling from Canberra and other southern centres to easily connect with Sydney’s airport line.

At present, travellers must either change to a suburban service at Campbelltown or backtrack from Central Station, adding unnecessary inconvenience and travel time.

There is no question the Canberra-Sydney rail journey is one of Australia’s most scenic train trips, traversing beautiful countryside and attracting international attention through overseas documentaries. I have hosted friends from England who specifically wanted to experience the journey after seeing it featured on British television.

As a regular passenger, I only hope the NSW, ACT and federal governments now follow through on their commitment to improve this important rail link.

Darryl Johnston, Tuggeranong 

There were community consultations, of course

I see the ACT government, in its infinite mercy and wisdom, has decided to dig a ditch for its train through the heart of the parliamentary triangle – rather than moving the thing sideways along a less unsightly and more useful route.

There were community consultations, of course.

Gentle readers: can anyone remember an instance where community consultations in this town led the government to change its pre-determined mind?

A quip attributed to a young Jo Stalin comes to mind: “I don’t care what the committee decides as long as I take the minutes.”

John Griffin, via email 

Faster, cheaper rapid bus to Woden

I agree with columnist Richard Johnston (CN May, 7) that the ACT Government should “forget the nonsensical Stage 2B tram”.

The ACT Auditor-General found Stages 1 and 2A to be a poor use of funds with returns of less than 50 cents for every dollar spent.

The government’s analysis for Stage 1 found bus rapid transport (BRT) operating on its own right of way could be provided at half the cost while delivering a similar level of benefit.

The EIS for Stage 2B is expected next month. Let’s hope it is an improvement on the draft EIS released in 2025 that failed to genuinely assess alternative strategies to light rail.

It should assess the impacts on transport demand from increased working from home and improving bus technology, including carrying capacity, on the need for light rail.

It’s hard to see Stage 2B having a positive benefit to cost ratio (BCR) as it will have very high costs given engineering challenges, including the need for a new lake crossing.

In response to poor BCRs, light rail advocates argue it stimulates higher density development along its route. While this is true, it is likely a high-quality bus service could have produced similar increases in density.

The demand for higher-density development at Kingston and the Woden, Belconnen and Tuggeranong town centres in the absence of light rail, demonstrates demand is strongly influenced by accessibility not only by transport technology.

Abandoning the light rail extension in favour of BRT would free funds for other purposes including social housing, education, health and an improved bus network.

The extension should not proceed unless it is found to be financially, socially and environmentally superior to alternatives.

Mike Quirk, Garran 

Forget the nonsensical Stage 2B tram. Here’s why

Calling for a commission of enquiry

I could not help noticing during a recent trip to Spain a glaring disparity between what’s on the rails there in comparison with the imported material from Spain that we’ve signed off on.

Their light rail was ultra-modern, travelling beautifully on landscaped tracks, apparently driverless, while connecting nicely with their 300km/h high-speed rail network.

What we have, in comparison, seems to be like comparing a used Mazda with a Bugatti. 

When looking at quality and efficiency, common sense says electric buses should have been more seriously considered.

Even Singapore’s light rail is far superior as anyone who has travelled on it will attest.

 A commission of enquiry into the ACT Government’s decision to rush inappropriately ahead with this project needs to occur because the path ahead is bleak.

Such an enquiry should be judicial, at arms length from influence and prejudice, and open to public submission and participation.

John Lawrence via email