ACT Government Responses to Questions on Notice from Public
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JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AND EXTERNAL TERRITORIES Inquiry into Commonwealth and Parliamentary approvals for the proposed Stage 2 of the Australian Capital Territory light rail project ACT Government Responses to questions on notice from public hearing 16 August 2018 Received 7 September 2018 ~!~! e Transport Canberra and City Services The Hon Mr Ben Morton Chair, Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories PO Box 6021 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Mr Morton Re: Inquiry into Light Rail - Question on Notice The ACT Government wishes to again thank yourself and the Joint Standing Committee for the opportunity to appear before the Committee on 16 August 2018 as part of its Inquiry into the Parliamentary and Commonwealth approvals for the proposed stage 2 of the Australian Capital Territory light rail project. At the 16 August hearing, you requested the following of ACT Government officials: "Can you take on notice to provide us with a list of interactions with the NCA where advice was sought and received in relation to route options?" This letter addresses that question on notice. The ACT Government consents to this letter being made publicly available on the Committee's website. Interaction with the NCA In response to the question taken on notice: 1. Please find at Attachment A a summary of meetings and correspondence between the ACT Government and the NCA from 15 December 2016 on light rail between the City and Woden. This list identifies 72 separate items of engagement between the ACT Government and the NCA. Transport Canberra and City Services has spent considerable effort engaging with NCA since December 2016. Many of the features· of the route proposed and preferred by the ACT government have been because of suggestions and directions from NCA officials. GPO Box 158 Canberra ACT 2601 I phone: 132281 I www.act.gov.au 2. As examples of guidance provided by the NCA, please find at Attachment Band Attachment Chand drawn sketches provided by the NCA Chief Planner on the route. In particular: . a. Attachment B: The NCA Chief Planner on 29 June 2017 sent an email to Territory officials stating "Attached is the little sketch I mentioned earlier today illustrating how the route might run through the Parliamentary Zone." The sketch shows a route over Commonwealth Avenue and through the Parliamentary Zone which matches the proposed route adopted by the ACT Government. b. Attachment C: The NCA Chief Planner on 18 May 2017 sent an email to Territory officials noting the NCA's openness to the Territory exploring a Windsor Walk alignment option. Again, a sketch was provided by the NCA showing routes across Commonwealth Avenue and through the Parliamentary Zone. These examples are indicative of the types of conversations which have been had since December 2016 with NCA officials. 3. The NCA's publicly available Kings and Commonwealth Avenues Draft Design Strategy from 2017 shows: a. Light rail on Commonwealth Avenue and not Kings Avenue in diagrams on pages 30, 31, 36 and 37; b. Light rail taking a lane of traffic on Commonwealth Avenue (page 23 "Indicative Light Rail Alignment (road lane adjacent median)") and in discussion on page 46. The Territory noted it undertook initial analysis and design based on an on-road alignment consistent with this public NCA document. Following subsequent feedback from the NCA, the ACT Government has reverted to a proposed median alignment on Commonwealth Avenue; and c. Light rail potentially traversing the Parliamentary Zone in a diagram on page 47. We note that the NCA, as we understand, has not made a final public determination on the Avenues Draft Design Strategy. However, the NCA has provided considerable guidance that one of its key features, ie. reducing Commonwealth Ave from three to two full lanes of traffic is no longer supported. This has had significant bearing on the Light Rail project and is one of the key reasons the ACT Government has now indicated its preference to building a middle bridge between the existing bridges to accommodate light rail. The ACT Government acknowledges that discussions with the NCA to date have been on a "pre-application" basis. The ACT Government also acknowledges the cooperative role played by the NCA Board to date, noting the NCA Board and ACT Government officials have had the opportunity to walk together through the proposed alignment in the Parliamentary Zone. As noted above, NCA officials have provided material guidance to the ACT Government in shaping the proposed alignment over numerous interactions since December 2016. Yours sincerely Emma Thomas Director-General 6 September 2018 Attachment A Light Rail City to Woden via City West, Parkes and Barton ACT Government and National Capital Authority Record of Contact - 14 August 2018 Number Date Communication ACT Government National Capital Authority Topics discussed The Project - Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 , Presentation - TCCS to • City to Woden corridor 1 Thursday, 15 December 2016 Ben Ponton, Duncan Edghill, Deputy Director NCA NCA • Tasks and Timeline Transport Canberra • Working with NCA • LRS2 Commitment • Cabinet endorsement of LRS2 Vision Statement and Definition Phase Guiding Principles Presentation - TCCS to Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / • Key Issues and Challenges 2 Wednesday, 1 March 2017 NCA Board NCA Board Duncan Edghill, Deputy Director Transport Canberra • Definition Phase to Business Case and Staging and Scope • Overall Indicative Program • Governance • Status Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / Pam Nelson, Project Director Light Rail Stage 2 / TCLR Comments on "A Place Renewal Plan for Kings and 3 Thursday, 6 April 2017 Meeting Andrew Smith, Director of Planning Marcus Sainsbury, Senior Manager Planning and Commonwealth Avenues". Design Follow up email from meeting 6/4/17 including TCLR Comments on 4 Wednesday, 12 April 2017 Email - TCCS to NCA Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 Andrew Smith, Director of Planning "A Place Renewal Plan for Kings and Commonwealth Avenues". 5 Wednesday, 19 April 2017 NCA Board Emma Thomas, Director General Transport Canberra NCA Board Parkes Way - Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / 6 Friday, 5 May 2017 Meeting NCA • Staging Concepts Duncan Edghill, Deputy Director Transport Canberra • Design/Staging Development Follow up email from meeting 05/05/2017 including an initial list of items that outlined what TCCS required interaction / feedback on from NCA. • Design guidelines, e.g. exact extent of wire free, stop appearance – utilise LRS1 • Land Tenure, e.g. licence for design & construct, operations, assets such as substations • Identify any “no-go” zones – eg trees in median of Commonwealth Ave on south side • Facilitate Commonwealth Agencies – need for “round table” Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / 7 Monday, 8 May 2017 Email - From TCCS to NCA Andrew Smith, Director of Planning meeting for feedback on route options and potential stop Pam Nelson locations? • Commonwealth and Kings Avenues Place Renewal – common message for Commonwealth Ave and Kings Ave between NCA and Light Rail, with respect to traffic and the likely Parkes Way outcome. • Commonwealth Ave Bridge structural work – extent of work, timing, contract synergies with Light rail • Works Approval/Parliamentary Approval process, timing • Design Advisory Panel – joint, Territory-wide, with participation from NCA Prepared by: ACT Government 17 Light Rail City to Woden via City West, Parkes and Barton ACT Government and National Capital Authority Record of Contact - 14 August 2018 Number Date Communication ACT Government National Capital Authority Topics discussed Technical Update for NCA - • Location specific constraints • Commonality with Stage 1 • London Circuit and Commonwealth Ave • Alignment between Commonwealth Avenue and Adelaide Presentation - TCCS to Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / Avenue (Parkes/Barton option) 8 Wednesday, 17 May 2017 NCA NCA Arup • King George Terrace • National Circuit • Alignment between Commonwealth Avenue and Adelaide Avenue (Direct option) • Substation locations • Extent of wire free operation 9 Wednesday, 17 May 2017 Meeting Emma Thomas, Director General Transport Canberra Malcolm Snow NCA CEO Catch up 10 Thursday, 18 May 2017 Email - NCA to TCCS Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 Andrew Smith, Director of Planning NCA Sketch map of LR route options through Barton • Parliamentary approval requirements • Possibility of JSC • Consideration of NCA briefing JSC in planning/design phase • Parties agreed that full works approval documentation was not required for the purposes of submission of the development to the Commonwealth Minister and then Parliament for approval • NCA indicated that if designs for stops weren't included in Scott Lyall, Project Director Light Rail Stage 1 and 2 / Andrew Smith, Director of Planning / Ilse 11 Friday, 19 May 2017 Meeting submission a further approval may be required Andrew Leece (Clayton Utz) Wurst, Director Works Approval & Heritage • NCA indicated that they need to ensure that relevant Cth Dept and agencies are consulted • NCA agreed that there was scope for the undertaking of de minimis works • Parties agreed that settling the tenure arrangements for the development was important. • EPBC Act requirements NCA Technical Update 2, Urban design strategies Windsor Walk - • Precinct 01 -London