ACT transport minister Chris Steel says the government will focus on early engagement with local businesses ahead of the next stage of light rail in the nation’s capital.
The planned Civic to Woden section of light rail will wind through the medium density western district of the city’s centre before crossing Lake Burley Griffin and continuing to the south.
Given the number of businesses along the route, Steel said this week it would be important their concerns were considered during planning and construction.
“Early engagement with businesses will help us help them by designing a program of support, advisory and activation that will keep City West vibrant during construction and ready for operations,” Steel said on August 7.
“We can also use the insights from this first round of engagement with businesses to inform construction planning, identify respite periods and to find opportunities for activations and events.”
Members of the government’s light rail team will survey businesses to develop a better understanding of their trading hours and peak times, their customer access and goods and services offerings, signage and marketing considerations, logistics around deliveries and waste management, parking, and how best to communicate with them moving forward.
“We are building on the program of support provided to businesses when we delivered the first stage of light rail and we have drawn upon insights from other major infrastructure projects throughout Australia,” the minister added.
Many small business owners along planned light rail routes have grown wary of the impact construction will have on their foot traffic and business operations. In Sydney, the NSW Government has compensated business owners along the CBD and South East Light Rail project route for the disruptions caused.