BUILDING GREAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT
We all want Canberra to be a liveable city that’s easy, comfortable and affordable to get around.
But right now, too many people are locked into the expense of running a car, because the alternatives just aren’t good enough.
At the same time, transport emissions are the ACT's biggest polluter and they're still rising.
To address the climate crisis and the cost of living crisis we need to make public transport a genuine option for Canberrans.
JUMP TO: More Buses, More Often | Light Rail Faster | More Electric Vehicles | More Affordable Transport | Streets for People
More Buses, More Often
Canberra needs a ‘turn-up-and-go’ bus service that’s so frequent, you don’t need to plan your day around it.
But right now, too many people are locked into the expense of running a car, because the alternatives just aren't good enough.
Buses aren't frequent enough and many get stuck in traffic.
Labor has shuffled routes and timetables but has no plans to scale up the service, while the Liberals aren’t proposing any improved frequency on weekdays.
Everyone loves our Rapids buses. But the rest of our service has let Canberrans down. That’s why we will keep Rapids and improve the rest. The ACT Greens have a plan to make public transport a genuine and convenient option for Canberrans.
THE ACT GREENS WILL:
- Increase weekday bus frequency by 50% on every suburban route by 2026, meaning nobody will wait more than 19 minutes
- More than double the weekend bus frequency to every 30 minutes by 2027
- Improve reliability with dedicated bus lanes through our busiest bus corridors, starting with Belconnen to the City, Molonglo to Adelaide Avenue, and ANU to Constitution Avenue
- Hire hundreds more bus drivers and improve work week flexibility for drivers in the ACTION Enterprise Agreement
- Bring on 100 more electric buses at the new Woden Depot to grow the bus fleet to 550 buses and deliver these additional services
- By 2030, we’ll build two new bus depots, one in Mitchell and one in West Belconnen. This will let us make more improvement in future
TAKE LIGHT RAIL FURTHER, FASTER
The Greens have always championed the vision of a light rail network across Canberra, that makes it easier and faster to get where you need to go on emissions-free public transport.
We are proud to have delivered the first stage of light rail, and of its immense popularity. But how long is the community meant to wait for the next stages? How long for the entire network that we all envisage?
This election the Greens are doubling down on light rail. We will increase frequency on the existing line and throw our efforts into speeding up the delivery of Stage 2 to Woden.
We will stay on the front foot with a rolling program of planning and construction to get moving on the next stages to Belconnen, the airport and Tuggeranong so more people can enjoy the benefits of light rail, sooner.
THE GREENS WILL:
- Make commuting more comfortable and convenient with more frequent light rail services between Gungahlin and the city during the morning and afternoon peaks, on Friday nights and on weekends
- Make light rail a government priority with more ambitious deadlines, a bigger project team and the budget funding required to get Stage 2 to Woden moving sooner
- Develop and keep hold of a skilled and stable light rail workforce by switching to a rolling program of planning and construction, which will also provide better value for money and quicker delivery of future stages
- Investigate longer platforms at existing and new stops to accommodate more carriages, in anticipation of more passengers using light rail once the line runs all the way from Gungahlin to Woden
- Plan to crack the housing crisis and maximise convenience for Canberrans with more dense housing permitted along light rail stops
- Continue to plan for a short extension of Stage 2 to Mawson
MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Taking the climate crisis seriously means building a city that gives Canberrans access to a range of emissions-free transport - from light rail, to buses, to zero-emission cars.
In Government, the ACT Greens have led the nation in reducing the cost of new electric vehicles so that we can dramatically reduce the number of petrol cars driving around the city.
But the unfortunate reality is that for many people, replacing their petrol car with an electric alternative is simply not a financially viable option.
THE ACT GREENS WILL:
- Install banks of DC fast chargers in every town centre and in the parliamentary triangle
- Deliver two solar covered car parks with battery storage and electric vehicle charging
- Introduce a $4000 rebate to help low-income renters and apartment residents purchase an electric vehicle
- Facilitate the establishment of a thriving electric vehicle repair, reuse and recycling sector
- Offer zero interest loans up to $15,000 for small businesses to purchase zero emissions vehicles
- Make more changes to vehicle duty to discourage highly polluting new vehicles
- Maintain progress towards the prohibition of registration of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035
- Offer zero interest loans for multi-unit buildings to to install shared electric vehicle chargers
- Expand the Electric Vehicle Training Centre at CIT to train more electric vehicle automotive technicians
More AFfordable, More Accessible
The cost of living crisis is an inequality crisis, affecting some people much worse than others.
As well as making our buses more frequent, we also need to make sure they are affordable for everyone.
This is why the ACT Greens will make bus fares more affordable for many in our community.
THE ACT GREENS WILL:
- Make it completely free for people aged under 18 to ride buses and light rail, so all kids can get to school for free
- Make it completely free for people on low incomes with a concession or pension card to ride buses and light rail at all times of day, including in peak times
- Extend discounts for full-time tertiary students to part-time students. This recognises that many are studying part-time so they can work to make ends meet
Getting to a bus stop and waiting for your bus should be a welcoming, comfortable and quick experience.
It sucks to freeze your fingers off in the dark while waiting for a bus, with nowhere to sit. So does standing at a bus stop without shade, in the blazing sun.
THE ACT GREENS WILL:
- Invest five times the current amount in bus stop upgrades
- Build bus shelters at more stops
- Ensure adequate lighting and seating
- Make path and kerb upgrades to improve accessibility
- Provide more bike racks to make it easier to change modes
Streets for People
Bikes and scooters are a great way to get around Canberra - whether that’s to the local shops or school, or for some people, a commute to work.
It’s fun, it’s healthy and it’s cheaper than running a car. More Canberrans would like the option to ride.
Driving around Canberra is slower and more expensive than ever. But most of us don’t have a choice as Canberrans are locked into driving cars.
Cars dominate town centres and school drop-offs across most of Canberra, making it harder to walk and ride - and more dangerous for everyone.
The ACT Greens have a plan for a world-class, connected path network across our city that gives everybody the freedom to choose how they move.
THE ACT GREENS WILL:
- Deliver a city-wide, off-road bike network by 2030
- Invest in safe, separated bike paths - not painted lines
- Offer $500 for Canberrans to take up e-bikes
- Fund programs to help more Canberrans learn to ride
- Make it easier for people to ride and scoot, with better facilities at our schools, workplaces and town centres