Transport Canberra and City Services’ (TCCS) tree crews were joined last week by workers from the ACT Parks and Conservation Service to help with the ongoing storm recovery effort in Belconnen.
Announced by Minister for Transport and City Services, Chris Steel, more than 20 workers from the Service are in the area looking to speed up the removal of as many trees and debris as possible.
“Even with these extra resources, the large number of damaged trees and branches on public land means that the storm clean-up is going to take several months,” Mr Steel said.
“These workers have joined the 20 members of our TCCS clean-up crew who have been hard at work to clear the damage since the storm struck,” he said.
“As part of the additional capability on the ground, a dedicated Storm Response Coordinator will strategically manage resources and ensure the most affected areas are dealt with as quickly as possible.”
Mr Steel said the highest priority for clean-up crews had been to make immediate hazards on public land safe and to clear roads, driveways and pathways.
The Minister said now that work was complete, the focus had shifted to clearing fallen trees and debris in high-use areas around shopping centres and schools, with nature strips, playgrounds, sportsgrounds and parks to follow.
Deputy Chief Minister, Yvette Berry said the scale of the damage, as well as the need for crews to work in a COVID-safe way, meant recovery would take some time.
“The recovery efforts may also be impacted by further storm activity, if crews are redeployed to address urgent safety issues following a future storm event,” Ms Berry said.
“People in Belconnen will start to see signage installed throughout the suburbs and electronic signs on arterial roads indicating storm clean-up is ongoing,” she said.
Ms Berry said the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) and the ACT State Emergency Service (SES) did an incredible job in responding quickly and effectively to the storm damage.
“While not their usual role, ESA and SES continue to support Agencies leading the recovery effort,” she said.
Further information on the ongoing storm recovery effort can be accessed at this PS News link.
