Page 3598 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 November 2022
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Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 11.22 am to 2.00 pm.
Questions without notice
Light rail stage 2A—traffic planning
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, the construction works for light rail stage 2A will cause ongoing disruptions for Canberrans in the city due to roadworks and road closures. For how many years will these disruptions last?
MR STEEL: Around four years, while we construct the raising of London Circuit, which will take around two years; and, following that, there will be around two years worth of work to construct the stage 2A project, which involves building stops, laying track slab, laying track and setting up for the light rail systems.
MS LEE: Minister, what financial costs will these disruptions pose to businesses that are situated along the route? Have you undertaken any analysis in relation to this?
If so, can you table it in the Assembly?
MR STEEL: We have a business support plan for the project, which is available to look at on the MPC website, where we have set out a range of measures that we are taking to work with business to make sure that they are supported throughout the construction phase of this project. It will be disruptive. We have been talking with hundreds of businesses, including doorknocking over 100 just over the last couple of weeks, to let them know about the upcoming disruption with the closure of the southern part of London Circuit and the cloverleafs from 2 December.
We will continue to work with them through the construction period to make sure that they are supported and that we get this project delivered, which is important for businesses in our city in the future, and for the future growth of our city, making sure that it remains a vibrant, sustainable and better-connected city going forward.
DR PATERSON: Minister, can you speak more about what you are doing to inform the community about the disruption?
MR STEEL: I thank Dr Paterson for her question. We will be talking with the community early and often—often on a daily basis, as the construction program really ramps up, starting with an early heads-up about the changes on 2 December, and then moving into next year, when we will see the first of the bridges on Commonwealth Avenue over London Circuit demolished.
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