[Peakoil-announce] Light Rail submission makes Infrastructure Australia project shortlist

[Alex Pollard]

Great news, especially given the very hurried submission process. There
seems to be some uncertainty as to exactly what the ACT Govt proposed to
Infrastructure Australia. The Chief Minister is expected to release the
final version of the report.

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http://actlightrail.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=1

Today ACT Light Rail welcomed the inclusion of a bid by the ACT Government
to implement Light Rail in the Capital Region as part of the Infrastructure
Australia’s national shortlist of projects.

“In these troubled economic times, there is no doubt that a significant
project to implement Light Rail will help keep the ACT economy buoyant. It
will provide ongoing economic stimuli through related development, urban
design and investment, as well as addressing the longer term public
transport infrastructure and environmental issues”, stated Mr. Reynolds.

The project is listed in the Infrastructure Australia report as a single
line item at $2.95billion, however very little is actually known about what
was contained in the bid from the ACT Government to Infrastructure Australia
as the final document has not been released to the public.

“According to a response to a question without notice in the Assembly the
Chief Minister admitted that neither the previous or current Ministers for
Transport or the Chief Minister himself had actually scrutinized or assessed
the bid before it was submitted. Furthermore the submission on behalf of the
ACT Government was only a draft and not the final report due to timeline
constraints,” continued Mr. Reynolds.

“Whilst the finer details of the submission are hazy, we remain supportive
of the project and look forward to working with the Government to bring the
project to fruition”, concluded Mr. Reynolds.

ACT Light Rail maintains a comprehensive web-site on which information about
light rail is available at www.ACTLightRail.info


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Alex
O4O4873828

ACT Peak Oil
http://act-peakoil.org