Transport for Canberra
You are here: Home | Studies and projects | Gungahlin Town Centre Bus Station and Flemington Road Bus Priority Feasibility Study
Gungahlin Town Centre Bus Station and Flemington Road Bus Priority Feasibility Study
The ACT Government is undertaking feasibility studies to improve Canberra's bus network. The studies are identified in The Transport for Canberra Action Plan and are priority projects for 2011-2012.
Improvements at Gungahlin Town Centre are important for the future of public transport in the northern corridor.
A feasibility study has been carried out to investigate upgrading the bus stations in Gungahlin Town Centre (particularly those along Hibberson Street) and improving public transport, access and amenity in the town centre.
Community input, along with technical studies, has been used to develop the options on display for public comment.
We invite you to view the information and share your thoughts and any questions with the project team.
The number of people travelling each day between Gungahlin and the city centre (Civic) is increasing every year.
This growth brings with it an opportunity to encourage public transport use in Canberra.
In 2006, 6.8 per cent of all trips to work in Canberra were via public transport. The ACT Government's new Transport for Canberra Action Plan (TCAP) sets targets which would see public transport used in 9 per cent of all work trips by 2011 – and 16 per cent by 2026. The TCAP includes changes to public transport, walk, cycle and parking strategies to achieve these targets.
New and improved bus services have been introduced, such as the Red Rapid service every 15 minutes from Gungahlin through Civic and on to South Canberra.
In the 2011-12 Budget, the ACT Government committed $147 million to road and public transport initiatives, adding to the $97 million committed in 2010-11. This project is part of those commitments.
Feasibility studies are the first step in delivering better public transport in Canberra.
Flemington Road Bus Priority
It is anticipated that the Flemington Road corridor will play an important role in the future with increased passenger demand. A number of options have been considered to increase the reliability of bus schedules by giving them priority on roads and at traffic-light intersections.
Flemington Road already has a bus lane in the City-bound direction from Sandford Street to Northbourne Avenue.
The preferred option for Flemington Road is extending this bus lane further north to Well Station Drive. It will mean the long term plan of having bus priority throughout the corridor is one step closer to completion.
Gungahlin Town Centre Bus Station
Currently, Hibberson Street (the main street of Gungahlin Town Centre) is the focus of the public transport in Gungahlin with local services and Rapid services converging at this point.
A review of current transport services shows bus stops on Hibberson Street and the bus layover facilities for buses serving Gungahlin need to be improved for future growth of the Town Centre.
What are the objectives?
The objectives of the Gungahlin Town Centre Bus Station study include:
- recommend location of bus station or bus stops to improve access to services and plan for the growth of the Gungahlin Town Centre
- investigate and recommend the location of bus layover areas and driver facilities.
Intended outcomes of this study will include measures to:
- improve bus running time reliability and reduce bus operating costs
- increase access to public transport, in?uence land use developments in the section and make travel easier in the area
- increase the visibility, public awareness and overall attractiveness of bus transport as a mode of travel.
Where are we now?
The flowchart below shows the steps in the project and indicates where we are currently in the study process.
Creating effective interchange and bus servicing facilities in the Gungahlin Town Centre is central to the successful operation of bus services and movement of traffic in the town centre.
Upgrading layover facilities – for driver breaks – as well as stops that are attractive, safe, and integrated into the urban design of the town centre are key considerations in improving services.
A number of options have been developed for the locations of future bus layover facilities. These options are indicated below:
Western Layover Option 1
Western Layover Option 1 is located on Gundaroo Drive to the northwest of the town centre to service buses coming from the east and terminating in Gungahlin. The layover, between Anthony Rolfe Avenue and Gribble Street, is:
- an off street facility that would be mainly used by Red Rapid services,accessed from Hibberson Street via Gribble Street.
- buses would re-enter Hibberson Street via Anthony Rolfe Avenue and Gribble Street.
No turn around facility would be required in this option avoiding the need for additional land or potential traffic hazards.
Western Layover Option 2
Western Layover Option 2 is also located to the northwest of the town centre on the proposed service road at the south side of Anthony Rolfe Avenue, just west of the Gribble Street intersection. Again, this layover facility is intended to service buses coming from the east and terminating in Gungahlin.
- The layover facility would be laid out as part of the service road, but still allow movements by trucks accessing the adjacent development.
- The layover would be mainly utilised by Red Rapid services, accessed from Hibberson Street via Gribble Street.
- Services re-enter Hibberson Street via Franz Bormann Close.
As with Option 1, no turn around facility would be required.
Eastern Layover Option 1
Eastern Layover Option 1 is located on a future road parallel to the west of Hamer Street and would service buses from the west terminating in Gungahlin.
- The layover would be an on street facility with the configuration having the advantage of being able to serve an additional stop on Flemington Road.
- It could function as a key interchange point if the existing, far east City-bound stop was relocated further west.
- Accessing the facility would require minimal dead running time for buses.
- The open space separating Hamer Street from the layover provides separation from the nearby residential area and sufficient space for driver facilities.
- The requirement for the delivery of a new road would make this a long term option.
A roundabout on Anthony Rolfe Avenue would be required to allow buses to turn around.
Eastern Layover Option 2
Eastern Layover Option 2 is the continued use of the facility on Kate Crace Street.
- As it is an existing on-street facility there would be no further development costs.
- The existing stop to the east of the facility on Flemington Road (eastern end of Hibberson Street) would not be serviced by local routes.
- Passengers would be required to interchange, at either of the two stops on Hibberson Street in the town centre. Continued use of this facility in the short term would be appropriate.
Gungahlin Town Centre Bus Stops
The two existing pairs of stops on Hibberson Street that act as the key interchange points in Gungahlin would be retained and upgraded to meet current bus stop standards.
- Using the existing stops would minimise costs rather than developing a dedicated "off street" interchange.
- Service times could be maintained with no deviation required to access an "off street" facility.
- The stops would maintain activity on Hibberson Street and would benefit from casual surveillance by neighbouring businesses.
The existing bus stop on the north side of Flemington Road (east of Hamer Street) would be relocated to the west of Hamer Street to mirror the stop on the southern side of Flemington Road.
- The stop relocation would allow it to be utilised by services accessing the Eastern Layover Option 1.
- The relocation of the stop would only be undertaken in the event that Eastern Layover Option 1 was adopted.
Have your say
Community feedback is important in shaping the direction of future public transport infrastructure in the ACT. A community information drop-in session was held in Gungahlin on 26 August 2011.
View the information presented at the session. (PDF 1.9MB)
To submit feedback please fill in the feedback form or email communityengagement@act.gov.au.
Please go to the Studies and projects page for a list of Transport for Canberra projects.
April 19, 2012
Telephone: 13 22 81