[Adelaide] Tram extension to deliver major boost for Adelaide’s universities
More than 40,000 students and staff who study or work at University of Adelaide and UniSA will benefit from the State Government’s $50 million commitment to extend the tram line to the East End.
The extension will provide a vital transport link between the universities’ east end campuses to UniSA’s City West campus and $230 million Health Innovation Building, and the University of Adelaide’s $246 million Health and Medical Sciences Building.
The 10-minute free shuttle service could transport more than 2000 people an hour between the city’s east and west ends.
It will also give tens of thousands of students and staff from both campuses and the new CBD high school another method of transport to get to and from this important education precinct.
This extension will also provide frequent and reliable links between the East End and the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, SAHMRI, Adelaide Railway Station, Adelaide Convention Centre and the new Festival Plaza.
Background
The East End tram extension will operate as a shuttle service between the old Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Entertainment Centre every ten minutes.
A North Terrace shuttle service will:
- Connect the educational and employment precincts along North Terrace;
- Connect tourists who stay at the hotel precinct on North Terrace with the East End and the city’s cultural boulevard, including the Art Gallery and South Australian Museum;
- Connect people who shop anywhere along the Rundle Mall and East End retail strip.
The existing Glenelg tram line will continue to operate to its current timetable.
Quotes attributable to Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis
Expanding our tram network has the potential to attract investment, boost economic growth and encourage urban renewal and jobs, and bring residents and visitors to the city centre.
We are eager to develop a new vision for North Terrace and this extension will go a long way to the reactivation of vacant buildings along the southern side of North Terrace.
The project will complement works to revitalise the Riverbank Precinct, including the redevelopment of the ORAH site.
Quotes attributable to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan
The existing Glenelg tram is one of our most popular transport networks with more than 31000 people using the service every day on average.
This includes our hugely popular free services between the Entertainment Centre and South Terrace, which make it easier to get around our city and make it more accessible, for city students and workers, tourists and in particular people with disabilities or accessibility issues.
Quotes attributable to University of Adelaide Vice Chancellor Professor Warren Bebbington
This will bring a tram stop right to our front gates, providing more than 27,000 students and staff an environmentally responsible way to get to campus.
It will also link our main campus and our new Health and Medical Sciences Building in the west end, serving more than 2000 staff and students there.
Quotes attributable to UniSA Vice Chancellor and President Professor David Lloyd
This is an infrastructure project that will be of direct benefit to thousands of UniSA students by linking up the University’s two city campuses.
UniSA is the State’s leading university for student satisfaction and the new tram service, along with new facilities being developed now, such as our Great Hall in Hindley Street and other on-campus laboratories and learning suites, all contribute to building Adelaide’s reputation as an education city by making student life richer and more convenient.
Internationally we want Adelaide to be known as a city that caters for its student population and we have a distinct advantage in being able to point to a safe and accessible city that readily links up our major cultural and education institutions.
Source: News Release, South Australian Government, 6th July, 2016