Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to acknowledge the 17th anniversary of the Mabo decision, the traditional owners of the land, and thank them for their continuing stewardship.

I refer to a new bikeway that is under construction in Tarragindi that will make Brisbane’s southside suburbs of Salisbury, Nathan and Tarragindi much safer and accessible for cyclists and for pedestrians. The $1.4 million Tarragindi Bikeway cuts a path through the magnificent Toohey Forest to encourage safer cycling, build community health and well-being, reduce traffic congestion and help the environment. It is being delivered by the federal government in partnership with the Brisbane City Council. I am pleased to inform the House that stage 1 of this election commitment is nearly complete. For too long cyclists wanting to access Griffith University or other bike paths to the city have been forced to take their lives in their own hands by using Toohey Road, a busy and dangerous stretch of road. Stage 1 connects Canfield Street in Nathan through Toohey Forest to Toohey Road crest, then through the Toohey Road picnic area to Windmill Street, with on-road signs and line marking along to Pope Street, Tarragindi, and then onwards to the city. The crossing at Toohey Road includes a pedestrian and cyclist refuge for greater safety. Obviously it would have been too expensive to put a tunnel through there, but the safety measures that are there should ensure that everyone is safe. The three-metre wide concrete pathway provides a shared, safe and separated access to Griffith University and then the bikeway heads either to the city or to the south.

It is also one of the first bikeways to incorporate automated lighting, lighting that will continue until midnight. This will provide greater safety for students and people using their bikes and workers returning home. It will also minimise disruption to native fauna, although I guess they will not be able to go to sleep until midnight. This bike path will encourage more southsiders to get out of their cars and onto their bikes to experience the magnificent Toohey Forest and to access their neighbouring suburbs. Maybe they will take a bike ride down to Sunnybank to experience some of the yum cha venues. I hope to see them there.

I particularly want to thank the Moorooka Ward councillor, Steve Griffiths, for his considerable efforts to make this bike path a reality. He has been constantly in my ear about it and it is great to see it coming to fruition. He has campaigned for more than three years for something to be done to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians in this area, and I well remember that he made sure that I was aware of the local constituents and their concerns about safety. He has also received strong support from the local community.

Eventually this bike path will link the M1 motorway, setting the scene for a continuous bikeway from Salisbury and Nathan to the city. Only by providing safe and accessible bike paths throughout communities can we really expect people to walk or ride to work. It is great for the environment, great for personal health and fitness and helps deal with congestion by getting more cars off our roads.