Page 3570 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 2010
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There is no waste of public money that can be attributed to the road rehabilitation program. Indeed, every opportunity is taken to provide for the needs of all Canberra road users, including cyclists, when undertaking road rehabilitation projects. For example, the recent works on London Circuit have resulted in an additional two kilometres of on-road cycling being provided on this road. None existed prior to the work. The road reseal program each year results in 40 to 50 kilometres of additional on-road cycle lanes being provided. Far from being a waste of public money, this is a very productive use of it and is consistent with the government’s commitment to sustainable transport.
Annual road maintenance programs are developed and implemented taking into consideration various planning initiatives. Further coordination will be achieved in the city as a result of the role of the new Department of Land and Property Services and the establishment of a senior position in that department to coordinate and, in some cases, oversee the implementation of city projects.
The Chief Minister will take on board any specific requests to ensure that adequate alternative arrangements are put in place for cyclists and pedestrians at the start of roadwork projects when existing arrangements are impacted. He has also asked the department to continue to program and manage roadworks in a way that seeks to minimise the impact on all traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and other users, such as motorcyclists and horse riders, where this is practical.
At 6 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
Sitting suspended from 6 to 7.30 pm.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (7.30): I also thank Ms Le Couteur for bringing forward this motion today on private members’ day. The Canberra Liberals have some sympathy with the position that Ms Le Couteur has put forward in her motion. Going through it, I think the issues that she raises are significant ones and ones that affect many Canberrans.
Of course, all of these issues are very much in the public’s awareness, especially for northern Canberrans, with the bridge collapse on the weekend and the impact that alternative arrangements are having on the lives of thousands of people, particularly in north Belconnen and Gungahlin. Then there is the flow-on effect of that for people in the inner north. In fact, I dare to say that people in the inner north are probably getting an easier run on their roads at the moment with the traffic being diverted to Barry Drive and Ginninderra Drive.
The ACT government need to be condemned for their poor planning of our current and future infrastructure needs. So often we see in the territory a situation whereby the government respond to growth in our outer suburbs when in actual fact they should be able to predict it. If they can predict the land sales and the sale of blocks of land in Gungahlin, why can they not also predict the population which is going to be out there and the need that there is going to be for infrastructure such as roads?
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