Infrastructure Australia has listed Canberra’s “limited” public transport network as one of its priorities for upgrade works as part of its Infrastructure Priority List.
The list presents 147 infrastructure proposals of “national significance” – the largest number since the list’s inception in 2016.
Chief Executive of Infrastructure Australia, Romilly Madew said the Infrastructure Priority List reflected the diversity and urgency of Australia’s future infrastructure needs.
“Resilience was a key theme of our 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit and this focus continues to be reflected in our latest edition of the Infrastructure Priority List,” Ms Madew said.
“Compounding issues of unprecedented infrastructure demand, severe drought and other environmental changes, require a focus on our resilience strategies and a consensus on where to invest now for our nation’s future prosperity.”
She said Canberra’s limited public transport network capacity, coupled with high rates of private vehicle reliance, was causing the transport network to suffer from increasing congestion.
“Congestion is likely to be exacerbated by projected significant population growth,” Ms Madew said.
“This congestion results in adverse economic impacts through increased travel times and higher vehicle operating costs.”
She said the initiative proposed by Infrastructure Australia would see the development of bus transit corridors connecting Belconnen and Queanbeyan to central Canberra.
“These corridors will provide an integrated transport solution, reducing traffic congestion and providing transport network capacity for future economic development in the region,” Ms Madew said.
She said the priority list was a collaborative document, developed using data from the 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit and submissions from all levels of Governments, industry and the community.
