Page 5345 - Week 14 - Thursday, 19 November 2009
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plan, a review of the cycling and pedestrian infrastructure requirements has been commissioned, and this work is currently underway. This project includes a review of previous work, the establishment of a process to identify and prioritise pedestrian and cyclists needs, and a program of work that can be used to develop capital works programs over the next seven years.
This work also looks in more detail at pedestrian and cycling networks within the various town centres and includes an accessibility and mobility assessment in each town centre in conjunction with the ACT Guide Dog Association. Public comments are currently being sought on this review, and submissions close on 4 December. I would encourage people to make comments to that review.
Other measures that are aimed at improving the safety of vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians include review of the design standards associated with the provision of infrastructure and the introduction of measures such as the green lane cycle lane treatment on major intersections to reinforce in other users’ minds the presence of cyclists on roads and to improve the safety for left-turning traffic.
Improvements to the footpath and off-road cycle network continue to be implemented on an annual basis, and these are prioritised in consultation with various road user groups and a technical assessment against various criteria. Some $4.6 million is spent annually in maintaining the condition and the safety of existing community path network in the ACT, which extends over some 2,400 kilometres, as I believe Mr Stanhope was saying yesterday in this place.
Mrs Dunne: No, that was footpaths.
MS PORTER: Yes, the community path network. The government is also installing safety screens on bridges across the ACT starting from next month as part of a $2.4 million initiative to prevent rock-throwing at vehicles and to protect vulnerable road users. I think it is very sad that we actually have to go to this extent to do this. We are installing safety screens on 14 bridges across the ACT. Screens will be installed on pedestrian bridges across Erindale Drive, Ginninderra Drive, Isabella Drive, Carruthers Street and the Cotter Road vehicle bridge by Christmas. Another nine screens will be installed on bridges over the next four years. The government also continues to provide on-road cycle lanes as part of the resealing program to provide cyclists with their own safer part of the road space.
This government have a strong record in road safety, and we will continue this through the next road safety strategy which, as I said before, will adopt a vision zero type of approach. I would encourage all road users to be aware of each other so that we can in fact ensure the safety of vulnerable users.
MR SPEAKER: The discussion is concluded.
Campaign Finance Reform—Select Committee
Appointment
Debate resumed.
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