Transport Planning and Policy Team Transport [email protected]

Dear Sir/Madam

Woden Valley Community Council’s Submission to the Moving Canberra 2019-2045 - Integrated Transport Strategy (Strategy).

The Community Council (WVCC) appreciates the opportunity to provide this submission about the Integrated Transport Strategy. We acknowledge that population growth and the environmental impacts of urban sprawl are creating the need to densify the City and Town Centres. We welcome development but want it to be done well, with the needs of the community at the forefront of planning. The is centrally located and accessible making it an ideal location for the provision of jobs, services and facilities for the growing community. While many residents will need to travel to other employment hubs, the current requirement to travel to other districts for cultural and indoor recreational activities encourages car ownership and adds to congestion on our roads. As mentioned in the Strategy, our city is not static and a land use plan is required to guide public and private sector investment as the Woden Town Centre grows. This includes planning for a community centre, indoor multi-purpose sports hall, aquatic centre and higher education to diversify Woden’s economy. Planning for an active Centre provides confidence for the private sector to invest and reduces the reliance on car trips to other districts. Public transport, including the suburban routes, should provide access to our Town Centres, Group Centres and local shops to strengthen connections between people, enabling them to share public spaces, cultural and recreational facilities to build strong and resilient communities. The ACT Government should assess emerging technologies and identify where and when they should be considered for investment as part of the integrated transport network.

Public transport

Our vision is for a public transport network that provides rapid, frequent services between the City and the Town Centres to move people efficiently to jobs, services and social amenity. While there are other employment nodes outside of the major town centres, they should be effectively serviced by public transport services without compromising the rapid movement of people between Town Centres. To provide rapid services the inter city public transport network requires dedicated alignments to ensure services are not slowed by congested private vehicles. Dedicated bus lanes should be delivered on each inter-city alignment with the infrastructure for higher capacity vehicles constructed as the forecast patronage demands. In addition to dedicated alignments, to provide access to rapid high capacity services between town centres, the following measures should be implemented:

 pedestrian and cycle ways from the suburbs to the rapid alignment  frequent, direct services from the suburbs to the rapid alignment, particularly during peak hour  priority traffic light signaling where appropriate  more park n rides at the bus stops along the alignment

We acknowledge transport networks can encourage urban renewal and densification. Notwithstanding this, efficient public transport outcomes should be the primary motivation for the transport network and not the opportunity for high density development.

ACT Movement and Place Framework

The Central Transit Spine from to Gungahlin (including Adelaide Avenue and Yarra Glen) is a Strategic Corridor for commuter movements between the south and north of Canberra, including the City and the Gungahlin, Woden and Tuggeranong Town Centres. It is an important corridor for the provision of rapid services between these social and commercial hubs and is important to move labour and connect people to services and social activity.

Increasing densities along Yarra Glen should not be at the expense of rapid movements between Town Centres.

When considering the use of public transport commuters will consider a number of matters including, travel times, frequency of services and convenience (eg access to park n rides). To provide attractive travel times a direct dedicated corridor is required. The flexibility for vehicles to pass allows all stops and express services.

Urban Renewal and Densification – we need clear policy settings

The following Vision in the Woden Town Centre Master Plan provides for an active community and commercial hub that requires effective public transport.

“Woden Town Centre is a major community and commercial hub for the Woden Valley and wider Canberra region. It will be a place that attracts people to live, work, socialise and enjoy throughout the day and evenings. The town square is the central focal point for social and community activity that will connect people to a network of safe and active streets and public parks”. To implement this vision a land use plan for Woden is required to investigate the opportunities available from accessible public transport. This includes the location of public spaces, housing, social, cultural and recreational facilities to strengthen connections between people and to build a strong and resilient communities.

This vision aligns with page 12 of the Integrated Transport Strategy which states that:

‘Our growing and diversifying population does not have to mean more cars on roads and more congestion. The success of the world’s best and most liveable cities is down to excellent transport networks that are integrated with land use to create walkable, people-friendly communities with a range of transport options’

The WVCC agrees that land use planning is extremely important to creating walkable, people- friendly communities and the availability of jobs, services and cultural and recreational amenity in each town centre with good cycle paths from the surrounding suburbs will encourage active transport and help reduce the requirement for people to use private vehicles to access amenity. It is imperative that a land use plan for the development of the stage 2 light rail corridor is undertake now to guide both private and public investment to ensure cohesive, connected communities along the corridor. The current zoning provides for 28 storeys on the perimeter on the Woden Town Square which will cause long term damage to the viability of Woden’s focal point. In addition, Arabanoo Park is on the ACT Government’s Land Release Program. It is short sighted to take Woden’s public spaces and community facilities (the basketball stadium has been demolished, the pool and ice skating are at risk of closure, the CIT closed and we do not have a community centre) and not provide a liveable centre with cultural and recreational amenity for residents to connect and reduce social isolation.

Cycle networks

In addition to centrally provided community facilities, it is essential to provide a comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes that make it easier and safer for people to travel actively from the suburbs to key local destinations in Woden, including shops and schools. Similarly, a separated cycle way between Woden and the City would provide greater safety and encourage more cyclists to commute to work reducing peak hour traffic. Walking and cycling has demonstrated health benefits and can aid mental health and wellbeing.

Community facilities

Cultural and recreational facilities are important to our community as they have the ability to bring people of all ages together and provide opportunities for inclusion. They can inspire and motivate individuals while also fostering community pride. We are concerned that the closure of facilities in Woden (including the CIT and basketball stadium, with the pool and ice skating rink at risk) has resulted in an imbalance of recreational infrastructure between the north and south of Canberra, with the Woden and Weston Creek districts primarily disadvantaged. A key focus of the Strategy is to reduce travel demand. As outlined in the National Capital Plan each town centre is to be provided with jobs and community facilities. This enables communities to ‘live, work, learn and play’ in their districts and leads to reduced social isolation and a reduced demand to travel to other districts.

Park n Rides

While we appreciate the multi modal nature of trips, to improve travel times for people that are time constrained it is vital to provide adequate park n ride facilities at bus stops and interchanges to provide an attractive alternative to private cars. There should also be safe areas near bus stops for people to drop off commuters.

Safety

Over a number of years there have been concerns about safety at the Woden bus interchange. A land use plan for the Woden Town Centre requires consideration of anchor tenants on the east west community pedestrian spine (including the bus interchange) which will improve lighting, activity and the feeling of safety in the area.

Transparency

The WVCC would appreciate clarity around the transport network. For example, we request that Transport Canberra confirms the facts below:

Frequency of services

Currently there are 60 services running from Woden to Civic between 7am and 9am. Under the new timetable there are 40 services as shown in the table below and at Attachments A and B.  23 traditional blue rapid services  17 services will run via Alfred Deakin High School

Travel times – multiple buses and transfers required

Travel times appear to have increased by up to 3 minutes in peak time (7am to 9am)  old timetable - between 14 and 17 minutes (mostly 15 and 16 minutes)  new timetable R4 - between 16 and 20 minutes (mostly 18 and 20 minutes for school services)

Please confirm that the number of direct blue rapid services will reduce from 60 to 23 under the new bus timetable and the increase in travel time from Woden to the City.

Background

Under the National Capital Plan, one of the key principles of Canberra’s urban structure has been that a hierarchy of centres has been developed, with each town having a centre acting as a focal point for jobs, services, higher order retail functions, commercial services and community facilities … continued expansion of services and facilities should be provided for and encouraged in each of the town centres. Woden was designed to host services and community facilities that are accessible to the community. The WVCC is available to discuss our submission and attend hearings should they be held.

Yours sincerely

Fiona Carrick President Woden Valley Community Council 31 March 2019

Woden to the City bus timetable at the Woden Bus Interchange Attachment A

There are currently 61 services between 7am and 9am on weekdays

New bus timetable Attachment B

40 services between 7am and 9am  23 direct blue rapid services  17 school services diverting past Alfred Deakin High (orange dot)