Page 2209 - Week 06 - Friday, 27 June 2008
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investment decisions, no amount of green wash will hide the consequences of their failures.
In regard to transport I am pleased that there has been consistent growth in cycling numbers, including the use of bikes on buses. I note that the sale of bicycles has outstripped the sale of cars for the first time ever. However, I am surprised by the lack of financial commitment to real growth in our cycling facilities in Canberra. I am glad to hear that every bus that the government buys will have a bike rack on it, as well as wheelchair accessibility. There is only one new park and ride—at Mawson—planned for the next four years and just one bus priority lane.
It is particularly in the bus priority lanes where I think this government has fallen short. Some of them have lost that status. I think it is absolutely essential not only that we have buses running on most of our routes, but that we have them doing it at least as fast as a car can do it. That is the trick. I have raised transport issues so often here in the Assembly and, despite what the minister says, so little is happening in innovation and even basic options facilitation.
To truly test out Canberra’s transport options I challenge each member here to try out the following options: one, drive here and park in a free Assembly spot. Yes, I think we are all able to do that without a problem. Two, drive to Civic at 9.30 am and try to find a long-stay car park. Good luck with that. Three, catch a bus from home to work in an acceptable amount of time. This might work for those of you who do not have to drop off kids on the way. Four, ride a bike in. Good luck finding suitable cycle paths and lanes which allow you to get to work without swearing about the path suddenly stopping.
I am concerned that park and rides in Civic have been abolished—apparently due to potential terrorist risks. Instead, Mr Hargreaves suggests that people should park their bike at home and then catch a bus into Civic. Good idea. Has it occurred to the minister that perhaps some people who probably live in the inner north or the inner south would ride into Civic and then catch a bus to Belconnen or Tuggeranong? If not, I suggest that the decision to remove those lockers be revisited. Perhaps the lockers do not need to be in the centre of the interchange, given that this is where people gather in their masses. I am glad that Mr Hargreaves has seen bike parking at bus transit stations in the suburbs of New Zealand, and I hope he has plans for more of these than just at Mawson.
I do not understand why ACTION and the government do not think that park and ride and bike and ride are part of the ACTION network. They are certainly part of an integrated transport system. But I do take heart from Mr Hargreaves’s promise that the next ACTION bus network map will have the park and ride and cycle locker facilities on it. This again is part of integrated transport planning. (Second speaking period taken.) I hope that my constant questioning on this will influence the way transport planning occurs in the ACT.
I also hope to see better and further coordination between NightLink, the seniors transport services, the community bus service, wheelchair accessible taxis, taxis in general and ACTION. I know the government thinks that this is not possible, as some
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