The following residents of the ACT draw the attention of the Assembly:
1. Anketell Street is home to a number of cafes, restaurants, and essential services on both sides of the street around the area of South.Point Shopping Centre and the Laneways.
2. Buses were removed from Anketell Street between Pitman Street and Reed Street North in 2019, which has vastly improved the amenity of the area.
3. While the speed limit on Anketell Street has been reduced to 20km for the raised section outside a large section of South.Point Shopping Centre, which is a shared zone, it can be confusing for traffic and pedestrians, with pedestrians forced to cross the road on the one crossing directly outside the front doors of South.Point or further away at the signalised intersections.
4. Removing cars from Anketell Street, where it is currently a shared zone, or the section between Pitman Street and Reed Street North, would significantly increase the amenity of the area, and link the South.Point Shopping Centre and its cafes and restaurants, with the Laneways and down to Lake Tuggeranong.
5. Community events and festivals like SouthFest demonstrate how vibrant Anketell Street and the Laneways can be. Removing cars will allow this to happen more frequently.
6. Acknowledges there are many restaurants along Anketell Street that rely on takeaway orders and require ease of access for delivery drivers and people collecting food, as well as the need for loading zones in the area.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call on the ACT Government to engage with the community and surrounding businesses about the future of Anketell Street, including closing a section to traffic to create a more connected and vibrant Tuggeranong Town Centre.