Shaping Canberra’s public transport future
Light Rail Stage 2 will link the City to Woden through the heart of Canberra's city centre. This project will make a significant contribution to ensuring Canberra is one of the world's most liveable and competitive cities, connected through smart public transport.
Canberra’s public will be able to easily access major educational institutions, retail and entertainment precincts and employment hubs on an integrated public transport network.
Canberra's population is projected to increase significantly over the next 20 years. As Canberra grows, city shaping projects like light rail helps to promote the ACT nationally and internationally as a great place to visit, live, invest and study.
Planning for Canberra's growth, reducing congestion and enhancing its liveability, requires a convenient, efficient and reliable public transport system that includes buses, light rail and active transport options such as cycling and walking
What's happening now?
Environmental approvals are now being progressed to bring light rail another step closer to Woden. Light Rail Stage 2A, from the City to Commonwealth Park, is currently progressing through the environmental approvals process with the community encouraged to have their say. Early activities on this leg of the project are already underway, and with the planning approvals set in motion work will continue to refine the project’s planning and design development.
Meanwhile, we continue to progress design development and approvals for Light Rail Stage 2B to extend the network from Commonwealth Park to Woden. This process is expected to take up to 18 months and will require detailed analysis of the project’s route, environmental and heritage assessments, and consultation with a range of local and Federal stakeholders.
Demonstrating further enhancement to the network, a new light rail stop at Mitchell Stop was also recently opened, offering a 15-minute journey to the City.
Timeline
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Timeline item 2 - complete
2017 - 2018
Design Development - City to Woden
City to Woden (Stage 2) designs developed between 2017 and 2018.
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Timeline item 3 - complete
May 2017
Community & Stakeholder Conversation #1
Choosing the preferred route: City to Woden route options & stop locations
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Timeline item 4 - complete
April 2018
Stage 2 route selected
Key design and preferred City to Woden route selected.
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Timeline item 5 - complete
June 2018 - March 2019
Community & Stakeholder Conversation #2
Reviewing the approval process: Commonwealth Joint Standing Committee Inquiry
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Timeline item 6 - complete
August 2018 - April 2019
Building the Light Rail Virtual Reality Tour
Engaged with the Canberra community using the light rail virtual reality tool.
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Timeline item 7 - complete
April 2019
Operations Commence - Gungahlin to City
Light Rail Stage One services commence from Gungahlin to the city on 20 April 2019.
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Timeline item 8 - complete
August 2019
Business Case - Light Rail Stage 2A
Light rail business case published, outlining the planning, route, design, construction and procurement options for Stage 2A, from the city to Commonwealth Park.
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Timeline item 9 - complete
July 2019
EPBC Referrals Submission
Referrals for light rail City to Commonwealth Park, and Commonwealth Park to Woden submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) under the Environmental Protection, Biodiversity, and Conservation Act (EPBC).
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Timeline item 10 - complete
December 2019
Community & Stakeholder Conversation #3:
Key conversations about the environment, heritage, accessibility, design and approvals. Click here to read what we heard.
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Timeline item 11 - complete
September 2020
EPBC Preliminary Documentation
EPBC Preliminary Documentation submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to address matters of environmental and socio-economic significance to Stage 2A. A public comment period of 20 days followed. Read more here.
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Timeline item 12 - incomplete
2026
Operations Commence - City to Commonwealth Park