Light rail through parliamentary zone in limbo as new 'technical challenges' emerge
Light rail through parliamentary zone in limbo as new 'technical challenges' emerge
www.abc.net.au
Light rail through parliamentary zone in limbo as new 'technical challenges' emerge
The long-awaited light-rail link between Civic and Woden has hit a new roadblock after a senior federal official conceded that heritage values may block the existing proposals.
Six years after Canberrans were first consulted about possible routes, planners still lack an option that satisfies both the ACT government and the National Capital Authority (NCA), which controls the parliamentary area that light rail must travel through.
At this point it'd almost be worthwhile just putting the plans for Woden on hold and running a line to Belconnen instead. Simply moving on in the face of obstruction would seem an obvious move if it weren't for being politically unacceptable to the south side.
The problem that the government faces is that the link to Woden was largely done as a way to mollify southsiders critical of the plan. If they about-faced and extended to Belco first, there'd probably be riots.
As a Wanniassa resident, I'm preparing my torches and pitchforks, just in case