Light Rail Network Development in Canberra: A Conceptual Design Report

This report presents a hypothetical case study focusing on the development of a light rail network within Canberra, Australia, highlighting its advantages for the city's transportation infrastructure. The study emphasizes Canberra's busy environment, making the light rail system an advantageous solution. The report details the conceptual design, including route alignment, delivery models (specifically public-private partnerships), financial considerations, and benefit-cost ratios. The design incorporates ridges to minimize space usage and avoid road blockages. The project aims to provide an alternative, eco-friendly mode of transport, addressing traffic congestion and pollution. The study covers key aspects such as route alignment, delivery models, financial implications, and cost-benefit analyses, providing a comprehensive overview of the project's feasibility and potential impact on Canberra's transportation network.

Running head: LIGHT RAIL NETWORK
Topic- Light rail Network
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
The paper focuses on a hypothetical case study in which light rail is developed within the city of
Canberra. The main aim of this paper is to reflect the advantages of light rail network within a
city. It is identified that Canberra is one of the busiest city within Australia and therefore
development of light rail system is found to be advantageous for the people of Australia. The
light rail system helps in providing proper travelling experience to the people and in addition to
this, it is also considered environment friendly as it does not create pollution. In this assignment,
conceptual design of the project of light rail development has been elaborated. The paper also
discusses significant information like route alignment and delivery model that are found be very
much useful for the development of light rail network.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Definition.....................................................................................................................................3
3. Conceptual design........................................................................................................................5
3.1 Route alignment.....................................................................................................................6
3.2 Delivery Model......................................................................................................................6
3.3 Financial as well as economic consideration.........................................................................7
3.4 Benefit cost ratio....................................................................................................................8
4. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

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1. Introduction
Light rail is one of the transport systems that assist in providing numerous opportunities
for solidifying the entire structure of the city. The main purpose of the light rail network is to
reduce pressure from rush hour traffic like busses, office cars and more (Chandler 2015). In this
paper, a hypothetical case study on light rail system is considered that is mainly proposed in
Canberra. The project is mainly developed in order to provide the facility of light rail to the
people of Canberra including all districts. It is analyzed that Canberra is one of the busiest city
and thus the development of light rail is very much advantageous for the people of Canberra. The
topography of the city is quite helpful in creating ridges across the roadways and thus very much
less space is utilized for the implementation of light rail network (Capital Metro Agency 2014).
Creation of ridges for the light rail network also avoids road blockage and provides proper
opportunity to the passengers of the light rail to enjoy the travelling experience without any
traffic congestion.
The assignment elaborates the usefulness of light rail network. The paper illustrates the
conceptual design of the project that is mainly proposed within the city of Canberra. The
conceptual design of the project includes route alignment, delivery model, financial
consideration and benefit cost ratio. The details that are provided in this paper are quite helpful
in the development of light rail network.
2. Definition
According to Birdsall (2015), light rail network is referred as electric borne transport
system, which is generally developed in different stages in order to enhance both speed as well

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as capacity. It is found to be one of the most appropriate evolutions of light rail network. It is
generally useful for different truck lines that are mainly associated with different types of
transport system in order to provide appropriate capacity of passengers within tram in
comparison to bus. The tram system is low floor articulated and thus they generally receive
electricity with the help of overhead lines (Burke, Currie and Delbosc 2014). This is found to be
useful as rail system can receive the supply of electricity even if the rail line are build within the
spaces of the road. It is found that the network of light rail uses devices which can be turn in both
direction by eliminating he requirement to turn the loops. The focus of the entire light rail system
is to give proper travel experience to the passengers.
It is found that the system of light rail is mainly implemented by following such a
procedure that it does not helps in creating any type of challenges associated with noise
disturbances. The motor, which is utilized in the network, does not create noise and as a result,
the system of light rail is helpful in replacing all the different means of transportation like buses
as well as traffic (Chandler 2015). The light rail runs at the average speed of 70-80 Kph and thus
this means of transportation is considered as a short run solution for different types of traffic
congestion as well as pollution. For alleviating different types of traffic related congestion, it is
quite significant to address the cause of inefficient utilization of roadways.
The light rail carrying capacity is quite helpful in filling the gap that mainly exists in bus
services and thus it is considered as one of the valuable means of transportation in Canberra. The
light rail is alternative means of transportation as compared to bus services in Canberra and thus
the facility of light rail is provided for the passengers (Hensher, Mulley and Rose 2016). It is
found as an alternative in comparison to other means of transportation. It is found that light rail
system is one of the advantageous means of transportation as it not only provides proper

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travelling experience to the passengers but it is also environment friendly as it does not causes
any problem.
3. Conceptual design
The project “development of light rail network” is mainly designed within the city of
Canberra that covers different districts as well as known places within the city. Canberra has
number of business enterprises and associations due to which the population of the city is
enhancing (Miller 2014). Due to increase in the population, the dependability of the people on
transportation also increases tat assists in making Canberra one of the busiest city. Therefore, it
is very much significant to develop appropriate business related substantives within the city.
Figure 1: Light Rail System
(Source: Capital Metro Agency 2014)
The framework of light rail network is generally created with appropriate ridges on the
side and thus it identified that less accessible space is generally utilized during the light rail

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implementation. Additionally, the current city is quite helpful in arranging different type o
constrained extension for different sheets and thus undertaking the project of light rail is
considered as a testing one for proper execution of the project (Hensher 2016). The facility of
light rail within the city of Canberra assists in providing an alternative facility to the people for
journeys. The light rail network is found to be one of the complementary in context to other
modes of transportation.
Figure 2: Proposed route of light rail network
(Source: Hensher, Mulley and Rose 2016, pp.209)
Therefore, the idea that is associated with the framework generally assists in providing
the opportunity to outline that light rail is generally actualized alongside the normal roads of the

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city. It is also found the light rail network must be constructed in such a way that that range of
the street should not be minimized as it can create traffic congestion. It is identified that the
implementation of light rail network helps in providing proper service to the passengers within
Canberra (Mulley, Tsai and Ma 2015). The conceptual design of light rail is mainly completed
with the help of five different steps that include requirement identification, prioritizing
requirement, developing different types of preliminary solution as well as evaluating solutions.
3.1 Route alignment
Canberra experiences high as well as enhancing level of car use that creates number of
problem within the city including traffic congestion. It is very much significant to resolve the
problems that are related with traffic. It is identified that for mitigating the issues and challenges
the project is helpful in delivering appropriate social as well as economic benefits to the city of
Canberra (Martin 2014). The different physical features that are associated with the community
of the project must be approved within different stages of procurement. In addition to this, the
other features should be approved with the help of cabinet that is mainly confirmed within the
phases of the tender.
3.2 Delivery Model
Public private partnership model must be utilized for procuring the entire project. It is
identified that both the design as well as construction of the light rail are generally bundled with
the private finance sector within the public private partnership delivery model. It is found that it
mainly works for anticipated years in order to construct the light rail (Ho, Hensher and Mulley
2015). The public private partnership delivery model is mainly recommended due to the reasons
that are provided below:

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 This delivery model is very much helpful in offering enhancement within the scope of
innovation.
 It is identified that higher degree of cost certainty and risk transfer are provided beyond
the model of delivery.
 It assists in making proper comparison between PPP proxy as well as comparator of
public sector.
3.3 Financial as well as economic consideration
The cost of delivery, which is related with the project, is around $783M including rolling
stocks as well as different type of contingencies.
Area of cost $m nominal
Stops and precincts 11
Alignment of rail 96
Rolling stock 65
Contractor overhead and profit 59
Escalation 65
Contingency 173
Stabling and depot 59
Rail system, power and signaling 137
Roads and utility infrastructure 118
Sub total 610
Entire cost of overturn 454

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The estimation of cost is mainly is mainly dependent on the design concept that is
generally produced with the assistance of various technical advisors (Ney and Gray 2014). The
contingency is generally estimated by utilizing appropriate procedure of risk quantification. The
cost that is estimated is mainly done by excluding the cost of project design. The government
does not help in paying the capital delivery that is related with the project.
3.4 Benefit cost ratio
The project is helpful in delivering the cost benefit analysis that generally comprises of
transportation value as well as land. It is found that BCR is much greater than one in the project
of light rail and therefore the economic analysis, which was completed, is helpful in delivering
the project (Downs, Cassels and Ericksen 2014). This is not helpful in taking appropriate account
of quantified social benefits.
Scenario related with cost Value $m PV
Benefits from project
Transportation related benefits 406
Benefits gained by using land 381
Different types of economic impact 198
Benefits achieved from the project
Opex 619
Capex 204
Entire project related cost 823
Economic related indicators
BCR 1.0

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NPV 161
BCR 1.2
Cost capital related element Cost
Outrun cost related with project 783
Less: The difference that exist between P50 as
well as P77
(24)
Project outrun related cost 759
Less: Escalation related alignment (65)
Less: Escalation associated with contingency (9)
Outrun cost of the project ($real) 685
Costs related with plus agency ($real) 45
Costs related with different types of economic
analysis (P50, $real)
730
4. Conclusion
It can be concluded that the light rail network development is identified to be
advantageous as it is considered one of the significant integral part for the transport system of
Australia. The tram system not only helps in providing proper transport system to the citizens of
Canberra but also influencing tourists due to their appropriate service. The installation of light
rail project is mainly designed in such a way that it mainly becomes one of the incorporating
variables in order to arrange transportation with the territory properly. The different routes of
light rail act as a connector among the different roads of the city. The entire course is designed

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by utilizing such a procedure that people can utilize different transportation methods within the
territory properly. The development of light rail system is quite advantageous as it assists in
mitigating the issues that the person of Canberra faces due to traffic congestion. The
development of the entire rail network is completed by utilizing such a method so that the person
of Canberra does not have to face nay type of difficulty. The light rail network generally operates
at the speed of 70-80 kph and it is helpful in minimizing the traffic noise. It is found that both
development as well as implementation of road rail network is advantageous.