ACT transport minister Meegan Fitzharris says Canberra’s new ‘nerve centre’ for light rail will help ensure the system works efficiently and is an enjoyable experience for Canberrans.
With operations expected to begin in April, the new Canberra Metro depot in Mitchell will house 14 light rail vehicles and operate 24/7, 365 days a year, Fitzharris said.
“It’s really exciting to see the depot now fully up and running, supporting the light rail system as it enters the final stages of testing,” the minister said.
“The commissioning of the depot is another important milestone in the light rail project that brings us closer to passenger services commencing.”
Roughly 100 staff, including 33 drivers and 16 customer service officers will be based out of the depot. A number of operational control centre duty managers will work at the site to monitor the light rail corridor day and night.
Canberra Metro CEO Glenn Stockton said the depot features some of the latest technology available.
“GPS tracking systems across the network enable us to provide real-time route information so that passengers always know when the next LRV is arriving,” he said. “Within the operational control centre, not only will trained operators manage and supervise the performance of the light rail system, they’ll also work with emergency services in responding to and providing an immediate response to any incidents along the alignment.”
“The first sod for the project was turned here on this site just over 31 months ago,” Minister Fitzharris said. “It’s come a long way during that time and it’s great to see the depot now up and running.”