Page 3842 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
system when a significant piece of transport infrastructure is in such a rundown and unattractive state. It needs to be spruced up.
Safety needs to be improved with lighting, and broken and unsafe walkways need to be fixed. The perspex covers on the interchange and bridge need to be fixed and cleaned. Electrical work needs to be undertaken. Painting and signage need to be upgraded. Platforms need to be repaved for safe passenger movements. This work can be undertaken quickly and real and noticeable improvements realised, and the work will cost $450,000. There are security issues at the Belconnen and Woden interchanges that must urgently be addressed. The installation of CCTV cameras is proposed for a cost of $200,000 and the security of the Civic interchanges will be addressed as part of the security precinct planning through the Department of Justice and Community Safety.
Some changes to existing bus stops will be required as part of Network 08 to be introduced in April 2008. It is proposed to establish small-scale interchange facilities on the street in Dickson in the north and Erindale in the south. These facilities will cost $100,000. It is also proposed to continue to roll out up to 100 additional seats, at a cost of $250,000, at existing bus stops. The provision of a seat at each bus stop is a simple but nevertheless welcome improvement to the public transport system. Again this work can be undertaken quickly and real benefits realised immediately the seating is in place. Some of this funding may be used to decommission a limited number of stops affected by the introduction of Network 08.
As part of the implementation of the climate change strategy, funding of $70,000 is being provided to equip a further 50 buses with bike racks to improve service reliability. Ultimately we will have every bus in town with a bike rack on it; that is the intention. Bike racks on buses and free travel to bike users using bike racks is an action item, No 14, in the climate change action plan.
Funding of $205,000 has been allocated to improve the look and feel of the city through an upgrade of street and park furniture, installation of “Welcome to Canberra” signage and cab spot signage, and removal of pine wildings from Narrabundah Hill. As part of the city centre refurbishment project being undertaken in early 2008 street furniture is being relocated from the city to replace aged and unsafe furniture in urban parks and shopping centres. This funding will enable the furniture to be relocated and installed directly to the new site in order to avoid additional storage and transport costs.
Residents and tourists will be able to view new integrated “Welcome to Canberra” signage as they enter Canberra along our major roads, instilling a sense of ownership and pride in our city. This will incorporate the “Welcome to Ngunnawal Country” message, reducing the proliferation of signage at Canberra’s entry points. Cab spot signage will also be visible in highly visited areas and tourist destinations and will assist taxi patrons to easily identify the locations in order to book a taxi, hence improving taxi services for residents and interstate visitors.
In regard to the removal of pine wildings adjacent to residential areas on Narrabundah Hill, these wildings can easily be removed at relatively low cost while still small.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .