Pedestrian Safety

Mr DULUK (Waite) (15:12): My question is also to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister update the house on how the state government is committed to ensuring the safety of pedestrians in our community, especially on main roads such as Cross Road. Sir, with your leave, and that of the house, I will further explain.

Leave granted.

Mr DULUK: Last year, I wrote to the minister regarding the issue of pedestrian safety on Cross Road. A constituent of mine, Margaret Brown, has observed traffic volumes increasing exponentially on that corridor, with inadequate and infrequent opportunities for people to cross the busy road. I visited the site with Mrs Brown and witnessed first hand the lack of suitable pedestrian islands, which we believe are not suitable for a pram, disability access or a bicycle.

Will the government commit to installing at least one pedestrian-activated crossing on Cross Road between Fullarton Road and the South Eastern Freeway similar to the pedestrian crossing located probably 500 metres north-west of the freeway intersection on Glen Osmond Road?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:13): I thank the member very much for that question, and am happy to look at the specifics of the detail, as far as where the engineering would go and how that would work.

What I can say about Cross Road—and this has been a key, of course, being part of the outer ring road—is that we do have that on the Infrastructure Australia priority initiatives list now. We know it is an important piece of infrastructure for South Australia. We are also working on Cross Road and Fullarton Road. We have a big body of work there to improve pedestrian safety right next to the school. We are widening that intersection and we have worked very closely with the community and managed to save 18 homes in the process.

Of course, we came up with a great solution to move the gatehouse into the Waite Arboretum, near the gate there. That was an outstanding solution. It was a privilege to work with the local community and come up with a really great solution that builds the infrastructure that is important for that community. Pedestrian infrastructure, in particular around that school, is something we are incredibly proud of. We will continue to do that work.

You will have noticed, and I mentioned it earlier—as much as those on the other side scoff—that we had some $3.2 billion towards extra infrastructure. Of course, part of that is the Truro bypass and a big focus on that is adding to the work that we have already done: the $12 million to get freight off the South Eastern Freeway to reduce the amount of freight that comes down there. Of course, trucks will always use Cross Road. It is an access road. It always has been part of the outer ring road, but improving the Truro bypass will be another step to facilitating that great freight bypass for our state to get traffic off that road. That will help with that point as well. On the detail, I will get back to the member on that.