Page 2135 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 8 May 2012
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on the committee. They agreed to a process where politicians did not dictate which roads needed traffic calming and when, that there was a process that TAMS and Roads ACT would go through in assessing roads and that we should take the politics out of it—because we can all stand here and say we want our corner street upgraded and traffic calming measures put in place—but accept that there needed to be some evidence brought to the table to prioritise those.
Coyne Street and Clift Crescent, as I understand it, were ranked 36 and 70 out of the priority of streets to be addressed through appropriate traffic calming measures. The Assembly has now decided that that should be immediately fast tracked to number one and that a study, which will probably take nine months to do if you do it properly, must be put in place and bad luck for everyone, numbers one to 34, ahead of you. I think that is pretty sad, actually, and I will resist it going forward—that the Assembly chooses the streets where measures have to be taken. The motion actually required us to implement immediate agreed measures in relation to that.
In terms of the importance of roads across the ACT, this government accepts that we have people on the left of us and people on the right of us. Those who are on the right will say that we need more roads, that everyone needs their own transit lane to drive in at whatever time they choose and they do not want to ever be stopped in any congestion across the city. Then on the left there will be those people who say: “Never build another road again. Don’t build it because it only creates congestion. Indeed, you should be putting all your money into public transport priority bus lanes, pedestrian arrangements and cycling arrangements.” Somewhere in between is the reality of what we actually have to deliver. I think we have got the balance right. Sure, there are a whole range of roads and streets that you would like to see upgraded today.
My understanding is that through the resealing program we look to address our assets and protect them and everything is done on a one in 25-year arrangement. That is the standard that is used. We use chip seal for that. I have had some feedback about the use of chip seal over the last few weeks, particularly as the program has been rolling out, and about better ways to do that. We have that under review.
I note that Mr Seselja did not choose to read out the extent of the asset that the territory looks after. It is relevant. It is not being used as a reason why things do not get done; it is a reason about the extent of the asset, the work that has to be done and the prioritisation that has to occur within it. There are 3,000 kilometres of roads, 832 bridges, 289 sets of traffic lights, 4,000 kilometres of line marking, 83,000 signs, 2,200 kilometres of footpath, 360 kilometres of cycle path and 74,000 streetlights. The asset base represents an investment of over $10½ billion in terms of its insurance value, and the TAMS Directorate manages this asset on behalf of the ACT government.
The first priority in terms of any road works and any additional funding is always around protecting public safety. That is the number one priority. Second to that would be dealing with some of those issues that arise out of storm events which are linked to public safety. You will note that this year TAMS have responded admirably and within budget to some of those pressures. You will all know that the Molonglo River path near Duntroon collapsed into the Molonglo River. TAMS have already responded to this. They have worked with some business owners around the priority
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