Page 667 - Week 02 - Thursday, 18 February 2016
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Canberrans are very generous with their time, and we have large numbers of people who volunteer in many worthwhile areas each and every day. Val Bland and Professor David Croaker are just two Canberrans to whom tonight I wish to pay tribute, and to thank, for their generosity of spirit and the giving of their time and energy to help in this great work in Nepal.
Calwell—traffic
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (5.29): I rise today to talk about an issue in my local area of Tuggeranong, specifically in Calwell, which I had cause to contact the then minister for roads about. At that time it was Minister Gentleman. This arose through a mobile office that I held. A couple who lived in Calwell came up there. It was about the area not far off Outtrim Crescent, which is a very busy road. I know that Mr Gentleman is quite familiar with that road.
These constituents talked to me about a blind corner at the corner of Carter and Outtrim. They come out of their street onto Carter and then need to turn onto Outtrim. They said that they themselves, as well as their two children, who have learned to drive while they have lived at their house, and many other people, have experienced near misses at that particular corner in Calwell because of excessive speeding along Outtrim Crescent. It is a bit of a blind corner.
Despite the fact that there are mixed views in the community about speed humps, they suggested that something needed to be done about the speeding on Outtrim. Many people believe that an increased police presence may be applicable to deter people speeding, but I understand that that is not always possible.
I wrote on behalf of my constituents, highlighting the concerns of these people about the speeding on Outtrim Crescent. What happened then, I think, is that Minister Gentleman wrote back to the constituents about the traffic issue on the corner of Carter Crescent and Outtrim Avenue. According to the information provided in that letter, they did not feel that the data for traffic crashes indicated enough of an issue to put in speed humps at this location. But Roads ACT reviewed the intersection, according to Minister Gentleman, and said that the sight distance for vehicles exiting Carter Crescent into Outtrim Avenue appeared to be reduced given the curvature of the road and the vegetation on the right-hand side of the road. Therefore Minister Gentleman asked Roads ACT to install a stop sign at this location.
Mr Gentleman apparently then wrote to or letterboxed all Calwell residents, saying:
Dear Calwell resident,
It has recently come to light that due to increased traffic in the area the intersection of Carter Crescent and Outtrim Avenue has become increasingly dangerous.
As this is the case, I have asked Roads ACT to install a ‘stop sign’ for cars which are turning onto Outtrim Avenue from the Carter Crescent intersection nearest the Calwell shops.
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