Federal government backs Canberra's light rail Stage 2B with $50 million commitment to planning, design

The federal government has committed $50 million to Stage 2B of Canberra 's light rail ahead of next week's federal budget.The ACT government is yet to reveal the estimated cost of building Stage 2B , arguing the price tag can't be confirmed amid contract negotiations, planning and approvals.ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel said the funding was what the territory asked for, and showed the federal government was now backing the next stage of the project.

"We're asking people living along the line near the stops to provide their feedback about what they'd like to see in terms of the infrastructure that's built ... other public transport connections to the line, landscape, or heritage matters."Mr Steel said neither the exact route nor the estimated cost would be known before the election, with the draft environmental impact statement not expected until the end of the year.

"It's pretty clear that only Labor cares about public transport, cares about making sure we actually have those transport routes," he said."The Liberals, frankly, are just the most negative I've ever seen."Ryan Hemsley from the Public Transport Association of Canberra welcomed the funding and said they supported the extension of light rail.

"What we have at the moment is an opposition with a bus policy that has no mass transit element and a government that has a mass transit policy with no bus element," he said.It's a 'once in a generation asset', but why is Canberra's light rail taking so long to build?

Canberra Catherine King Katy Gallagher Chris Steel Act Government Federal Government Commonwealth Light Rail Stage 2B Stage 2A

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