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Bligh pledges $2m to get public servants cycling
May 22, 2008 04:55pm
THE Queensland government will commit $2 million in next month's budget to provide bicycle facilities for Brisbane public servants who ride to work.
Premier Anna Bligh today announced two new "end of trip" buildings, which would include bicycle parking, lockers and showers, for 80 George Street and the Neville Bonner building.
The government will also look for a private partner to build another facility near Creek Street, to be available to all city workers at a cost.
Ms Bligh told a Property Council of Australia function that cabinet had approved a five-pronged strategy to tackle traffic congestion in south-east Queensland, where roads are straining under the pressure of an influx of new residents.
The strategy includes increasing capacity of road infrastructure, improving efficiency, better planning to encourage people to take shorter journeys, better public transport options, and improving traffic demand.
To encourage people to leave their cars at home, Ms Bligh said the budget would also include $22.6 million over four years to roll out the TravelSmart program.
A trial of TravelSmart - which audits homes and offices to see how people can make better use of public transport - saw people cut their car trips by 80 a year.
Ms Bligh said they were "congestion busting" solutions.
She was confident people would change their travel habits, just as they had adapted to the region's strict water restrictions.
"Roads and public transport corridors ... are a critical part of solving congestion, but so too is our behaviour," Ms Bligh told reporters.
"Every one of us, every day, gets up and contributes to congestion, and we are all part of the solution, just like we have been with water, so we need to tackle this on a broad range of fronts."
Ms Bligh flagged other traffic measures in next month's state budget.
Yah gotta love a premier that is a cyclist.
GO Aunti Anna
Donald