Page 183 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
parking spaces, some in garages and some in driveways, providing an option for households with multiple vehicles.
The ACT government is also working hard to improve sustainable travel across Canberra and in new suburbs—including public transport, walking, and cycling, which have many added health and sustainability benefits—as an alternative to private car use.
In summary, the government takes a holistic approach to the provision of transport and parking options in our new residential suburbs and we continue looking at ways we can best cater for the lifestyles and transport needs of Canberrans now and into the future. This includes a balance of parking options and housing choices. I thank Mrs Kikkert for her constructive amendment to her motion. This will be considered as part of the planning processes for future developments in this suburb.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (3.45): I move:
Add new paragraph (2)(d):
“(d) review options for providing better public transport until a standard bus service can be provided, such as using a minibus-sized vehicle to introduce a temporary shuttle bus from Lawson to the University of Canberra and Belconnen Town Centre.”.
I am not surprised that the people in parts of Lawson are having parking problems, because they are also having bus problems and walking problems and cycling problems and these problems, of course, go together. Basically, they are having transport problems. Households need more cars when they do not have other good transport choices. The root cause of these transport problems is that Lawson is a suburb which is only two-thirds built. Development started on the eastern, or Kaleen, side and people have reasonable transport links in that direction.
There are two bus routes on Baldwin Drive, the 30 and the 31. There are okay path connections down to two sets of traffic lights in Ginninderra Drive, so that people in this area can walk to eastern parts of the University of Canberra, although obviously crossing Ginninderra Drive is noisy and a fairly unpleasant and possibly sometimes even challenging experience. One of these traffic lights also connects to a bike path through Bruce to the city or Dickson. There are also straightforward car connections in an easterly direction; however, the unbuilt final third of the suburb includes an important set of transport connections to the south and the west, including the road link through the Aitken Drive, Ginninderra Drive intersection and important path connections.
The impact of these missing connections on public transport is that there is a large part of the suburb without a bus route because a full-size bus cannot get in and around the suburb until Stockman Avenue is finished through Aitken Drive. For people who want to walk or to cycle there are similar problems. To get to the University of Canberra from the middle section of the suburb there is no reasonable option at all. This is actually significantly important, because many people living in Lawson are University of Canberra students.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video