Page 2935 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
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how buses move through the precinct and whether there are opportunities to make some capital improvements so we can enable that to happen safely on another street.
With future upgrades to the Tuggeranong town centre to come I am looking forward to working together with the Tuggeranong Community Council to promote the town centre as a great place to be. These upgrades are an opportunity to make sure that we gather people and get them to come back after a lengthy period of construction so they can enjoy the new public spaces our government has funded and enable them to also access the businesses.
I am not sure whether I agree with the view put forward by Ms Lawder about removing cars from Anketell Street. I think the businesses are benefitting from having cars back on Anketell Street, parking in the new bays and people being able to pick up take-out from Zambrero or Chalisa Indian restaurant or even some Thai. That foot traffic via slow-moving vehicles is important, but we are working on the work necessary to progress any future changes around removing buses from Anketell Street, and I look forward to providing updates to the Assembly in the near future.
I look forward to hearing from other members, but I move the amendment circulated in my name to Ms Lawder’s motion which outlines the steps the government is taking and provides some extra information in the noting section about what has occurred in relation to the substantial upgrades on Anketell Street:
Omit all text after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes:
(a) that construction on upgrades to the public realm along Anketell Street have recently concluded;
(b) the ACT Government’s upgrades to Anketell Street have improved Tuggeranong’s main street through a raised pedestrian zone, a low speed traffic environment, an off-road cycle lane, improvements to paved areas, tree replacements with 27 additional trees along the street, wider pavements for outdoor dining, improved lighting, and additional street furniture;
(c) that there are a number of cafes and restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating areas along Anketell Street;
(d) the previous petition from Tuggeranong Community Council regarding the removal of buses along Anketell Street;
(e) buses have returned to Anketell Street in the short term; and
(f) the Minister for Transport and City Services wrote to business owners on Anketell Street on 9 August, noting that the Government was genuinely considering the option of removing buses on Anketell Street in consultation with bus drivers, including investigating what capital upgrades may be required for buses to safely move along Cowlishaw Street;
(2) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) ensure Transport Canberra continues to engage with members of the Tuggeranong community on the future of buses along Anketell Street;
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