Page 2372 - Week 08 - Thursday, 5 August 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
All options around public transport are being considered. I have already announced that we are looking at things like park and ride. We will look at bus priority, of course. We will also work with groups like Pedal Power on how we can encourage people to use active travel, if it is appropriate. We understand that for many people in our community, particularly families, some of these options may not be appropriate. But if we can encourage enough people to use these options, it will help to keep our whole city moving, as well as shortening the commute, making it easier to get into work and get to the places where people need to go, such as schools.
MR PARTON: Minister, is it your intention to ban private motor vehicles altogether from certain congested routes? If so, which routes?
MR STEEL: No. Our focus is on minimising the extent of disruption during this infrastructure build, as we seek to build light rail and get on with what we said we would do, creating over 6,000 jobs, connecting light rail from Civic to Woden. We are going to deliver a much better public transport system for the future. That is the best way to encourage people to use public transport.
As we do that, there will be some road closures that are required. We have been up-front with the community, and the maps are available on the light rail project website. The cloverleaves in the south-west will be closed to traffic. That is going to have a disruptive effect on traffic. That is why there will be other routes that people will need to consider to get into work if they need to use those exits. We will be making that very clear, often on a daily basis, to the community—about where we are up to in the construction program, which roads are closed, and which roads are open to use. That is going to change as the project continues.
The early works will begin very soon, on utilities removal. That will only have localised disruptive effects. As we move into quarter 2 of next year, with the raising of London Circuit and the demolition of the bridges in a staged fashion over London Circuit on Commonwealth Avenue, that is going to have a major disruptive effect. But it is also the effect of the work that the NCA are doing on the bridge augmentation on Commonwealth Avenue as they seek to extend the life of that bridge for another 50 years and also widen the pedestrian and cycling bridges to provide better active travel opportunities. We will be working hand in hand with the NCA.
These are not the only major infrastructure projects happening around Canberra. We are planning to make sure we can minimise disruption around all of them as well as the private developments that are occurring around our city.
Light rail—traffic planning
MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, Canberrans residing on the south side of the city have been advised to consider using the Monaro Highway as an alternate route once light rail traffic disruptions occur elsewhere. Around the same time, construction will start on the Monaro Highway upgrade, with major activity in 2022. To make matters worse, your traffic disruption modelling indicates light rail works will generate a 46 per cent increase in traffic loads on the Monaro Highway. Minister, why are you telling people
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video