Page 3208 - Week 10 - Thursday, 17 September 2015
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MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Dr Bourke for his supplementary. To report traffic issues, the community can contact Roads ACT through Access Canberra on 132281 or via the fix my street online service. I do like to say that, in regard to fix my street, I know there was some discussion recently in the Assembly about reporting back to those wishing to lodge on fix my street. I can advise that there is a button on the fix my street website. When you log your engagement, if you click on that you will get a response back from fix my street. But, if you do not click on requesting a response, you will not get the response back; it is an interactive program.
Traffic issues are recorded within the directorate’s integrated asset management system and inquiries can relate to a number of issues including parking, traffic volumes, traffic speeds and crashes. Of course, the person who has made the inquiry is advised of the results of the investigation as well as any follow-up actions that are planned. Many inquiries result in investigation only without the need for remedial works. Typical actions may involve follow-up studies or surveys covering local traffic management, road safety, traffic speed and volume, as well as pedestrian and cyclist activities.
On occasions it will be necessary to include bids in future budgets to investigate major traffic management improvements, the options that may be appropriate, as well as the cost to construct these options. Low-cost safety or traffic management improvements resulting from investigations or studies are progressed as part of the minor new works program and will typically be implemented in three to six months after the initial request has been received, depending on the number of projects included in the program at the particular time.
ACTION bus service—timetable
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and also the assistant minister. It was announced last week that ACTION would change its operating timetable in October, the second such change to network 14 since it was introduced. Amongst the changes, new peak hour services were introduced for Crace, Florey and Latham residents to enable them to travel to and from the city without transfer. However, it was further announced today that this new timetable will not begin as scheduled because ACTION does not have enough buses to run the timetable. Minister, how can such a basic error occur?
MR RATTENBURY: Unfortunately, there has been a mistake in the preparation of the new timetable. That is something that I and all the staff who were involved, on behalf of the directorate, are disappointed by. It is a mistake that we wish had not happened, but it has. The reason is that, through a ruling of Fair Work Australia, ACTION has been required to add an additional 10-minute break for drivers. This led to the revamping of the timetable which was due to come into effect on 12 October. Because this new requirement has not been there before, when the timetable was run through the network planning software it did not adequately account for this. Ultimately, it proved to be a problem where the timetable that was developed did not match the number of buses that are available in the ACTION fleet.
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