Page 3620 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 13 September 2017
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mountain most of my life. My house backs onto Sulwood Drive and I walk my dog, Pickles, up to Mount Taylor most evenings. I have certainly noticed the increase in cars parked around the mountain on Sulwood Drive as it becomes more popular for Canberrans to visit for recreational purposes, particularly during the spring and summer months, when I have often counted up to 80 cars parked along the mountain.
Because there is no formal car park and there is an intersection nearby on Mannheim Street, it is important that the government consider the traffic issues in the area. I think the petition I am sponsoring will help to convey the range of issues the government can investigate. Part of the work I have already done has seen traffic studies conducted on Mannheim Street and Sulwood Drive. I have also drawn the attention of the ACT government to speeding issues along Sulwood Drive, which is an 80-kilometre an hour zone. The ACT government has added six additional speed vans to monitor people’s speed along ACT roads, including Sulwood Drive.
I mention at this point the hard work of former local member Mr John Hargreaves, who worked with Kambah residents on Mannheim Street to see a traffic island installed in the past to improve safety on the street. We could even go back further to the Follett Labor government that actually invested in the original summit trail that is now so popular with the community on Mount Taylor.
The ACT Labor government’s vision for Canberra is a healthy, active and vibrant city, and this means ensuring our city is well connected and accessible, including providing better access to our nature parks for recreational purposes. That is why I am happy to continue to assist the work of the community to work constructively with the government to improve safety and ensure that more Canberrans can enjoy Mount Taylor. I am pleased to see that the Liberals are on board with the government in this endeavour. I will be supporting the motion today.
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health, Minister for Transport and City Services and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research) (12.17): I wish to amend this motion. Therefore, I move:
Omit paragraph (3), substitute:
“(3) calls on the Government to investigate the following improvements to the Mount Taylor carpark:
(a) creation of dedicated, visible, and safe entry and exit points to the Mount Taylor carpark on Sulwood Drive with dedicated and clearly defined safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists;
(b) improvements to the safety and amenity of the parking area by installing lighting and a bin;
(c) changes to improve the intersection of Mannheim Street and Sulwood Drive with regard to the safety and needs of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians wishing to access the Mount Taylor carpark;
(d) extension of the footpath on Mannheim Street from MacKay Crescent to Sulwood Drive; and
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