Page 470 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 23 March 2022
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As work progresses on the next stage of light rail from the city to Woden, the ACT government has included the feasibility of an off-road shared path on Adelaide Avenue to inform the design of a cyclist highway to the city and the parliamentary triangle, which could utilise the future station access to the large median. Construction work is underway on the new Woden public transport interchange, which prioritises safe access for pedestrians and cyclists through the town centre and will provide secure bike parking in three locations, including two secure bike cages.
As we invest in new infrastructure, new connections and fill missing links, it is also important that we invest in regular maintenance of our existing active travel paths. A key priority for the year ahead includes a step-up in work on renewing and maintaining existing paths proactively right across the ACT. We understand that local communities want their paths to be safe and in good condition. That is why we are delivering on ACT Labor’s $4 million election commitment for more path maintenance and responding to community requests for upkeep. We have started this work through the Jobs for Canberrans program. Since 2020, workers have completed a condition assessment of the entire community path network to assist in proactively identifying locations for renewal. The funding we have invested each year through our election commitment will be used to undertake these renewal works and keep our community paths in great condition.
Safety for cyclists and pedestrians is, of course, not just about the infrastructure. The ACT government is committed to Vision Zero—zero deaths and zero serious injuries on our roads, including vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. To achieve this, we will continue to apply our safe systems approach, including a focus on safe speeds and safe behaviour, as well as the infrastructure through safe roads and cycleways.
This year significant changes to the law will be implemented through various road transport legislation, which will strengthen penalties for a range of driving offences, focused on vulnerable road users and to deal with drink-riding behaviour. Vulnerable road users are those road users that have little or no protection in the event of a collision. The term includes pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists but also extends to other road users who have a specific characteristic that makes them vulnerable—for example, older drivers and children.
To ensure that Canberrans are aware of their obligations to be safe and to protect all road users, the ACT government will be rolling out a significant community education and awareness campaign this year. The Share the Road campaign will be highly visible in public spaces, including on buses, at petrol stations and in shopping centres.
Whilst safety and safe infrastructure are important in encouraging active travel uptake, the government will also be focusing on other measures which involve behaviour change. This is important because this year construction of major infrastructure projects in and around Canberra’s city centre will be disruptive for the community. To mitigate the disruption, the government has established the disruption task force, and active travel is an important part of their response.
To minimise the disruption, the government is focused on how we can minimise peak hour congestion by encouraging Canberrans to rethink their route and rethink their
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