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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Tuesday, 4 May 2004) . . Page.. 1728 ..

Sustainable transport plan

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Planning. Minister, would you advise the Assembly of the key important strategies you recently announced in the launch of the government’s sustainable transport plan?

MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Hargreaves for the question. The government has recently announced its release of the sustainable transport plan. I am pleased to say that this is the first time any territory government has established a transport plan to manage the growth and transport needs in the city and to set targets on shifting modal split in this city. It is the first time since self-government that any government has established such a strategy. Many Canberrans would ask, “Why do we need such a strategy? Why do we need such an approach?” Canberrans rate ease of getting around their city as one of the most valuable aspects of living here. Canberra is an easy city to get around, and to get around by private motor vehicle.

Mrs Dunne: Did you invite members to the launch of this strategy? Which members were invited to the launch of the strategy?

MR CORBELL: Quite clearly there is a need to make sure that, into the future—I would have thought the opposition would have been more interested in the content of the plan.

Mrs Dunne: There is no content. I want to know why I was not invited to the launch.

MR CORBELL: As a legislator and shadow minister, I would have thought Mrs Dunne would be more concerned about the content of the policy rather than whether or not she got an invitation. Quite clearly ego rules over the determination to deliver good public policy.

We can predict what will occur if we do not move to achieve more sustainable transport outcomes. This strategy firstly identifies targets that we will work strongly to achieve. By the year 2011 we want to see 20 per cent of all work trips in the ACT occurring by public transport, walking and cycling and, by 2026, we want 30 per cent of all work journeys occurring by public transport, walking and cycling. This is a significant step forward. This is what drives the plan overall. To achieve this vision we will have to work hard at recognising that arterial roads serve a purpose as much as investing in public transport, walking and cycling achieve a purpose.

The government will commit, as I have already announced, $11 million worth of funding to progress these major priorities. It includes $6 million to get to construction stage a major new rapid transit link between Belconnen and Civic. This will deliver Canberra’s first dedicated intertown busway with railway-type stations; it will deliver real-time information and it will deliver a service which will link the key employment nodes between the city, the ANU, the University of Canberra and Belconnen town centre. On top of that there is $900,000 to improve and develop a new busway between Gungahlin and Civic—a separate bus lane between Sandford Street and Northbourne Avenue. Later stages will include the development of new stations along Flemington Road and a

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