Page 533 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 13 February 2013
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(c) the length of time between identification of a footpath or shared path in need of repair and actual repair work undertaken; and
(2) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) routinely publish the location and number of footpaths and shared paths identified as being in need of repair and/or maintenance across the ACT; and
(b) ensure that an accurate footpath and shared path maintenance/repair schedule is published on the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate website by the close of business on 28 February 2013.
I raise this motion today in response to many constituents who have raised issues with me both prior to my election while campaigning and since my election to this place. Whether it was at Lanyon Marketplace, Erindale or Chisholm, there was always at least one person at every shopping centre visit I made who raised the issue of footpaths, either in need of repair, damaged, missing or just downright dangerous. The common theme among all of these complaints was that the constituents had raised their concerns before, either with the government or via Canberra Connect, yet still no action had been taken to fix the problem. There are a significant number of footpaths and shared paths in disrepair across the ACT and this government has failed in its attempts to maintain and repair the network in a timely fashion.
There are countless footpaths that have been identified in need of repair that have not been repaired within months and sometimes even years. Recently I, along with many other members of this place, was contacted by a constituent who lives in Fadden. This constituent has a young family and is a regular user of footpaths and shared paths in his suburb. I would like to quote from the correspondence, as I feel these views represent those that are common amongst many Canberrans in my electorate of Brindabella. I quote from the email I received:
Recently, residents of Fadden were subject to a rates increase, which most will agree is an occurrence from time to time that reflects rises in the cost of maintaining infrastructure etc. However, in line with a rates increase, residents have the expectation the infrastructure is being properly maintained. I have attached images of some areas of footpath in Fadden that are poorly maintained and unsafe for pedestrians.
The photos that he attached illustrated areas out the front of the Fadden Primary School and nearby laneways that are used by families every day. The images also noted the footpath in front of the school and nearby the shops where some weeds were in excess of half a metre high. He goes on to allude that he has children who often use the paths and on a recent occasion when he and his 11-year-old son were running in the area he tripped on some of the undulating footpaths along Bugden and Bramston streets in Fadden.
I have said previously that this email epitomises what the majority of constituents have said to me over the course of at least the last year and a half. Taxpayers expect
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