Labor backbencher and Ginninderra assembly member Yvette Berry has voiced concerns over the reopening of the Belconnen dump by her own government, seeking assurances from the minister and unions that residents will not be affected.
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Landfills at Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre are quickly reaching capacity, forcing the government to redirect half of ACT's waste to West Belconnen Resource Management Centre while two new landfill cells are being finished.
About 100 garbage trucks a day will drive along Southern Cross Drive and Parkwood Road until January, according to Territory and Municipal Services, primarily between the hours of 11am to 5pm.
Ms Berry, who lives in West Belconnen, said the roads in the area were not built to support heavy traffic such as garbage trucks and many houses had been built closer to the old dump since it was closed.
She said she was notified this week the West Belconnen centre would be reopened and had spoken to the Transport Workers Union and Territory and Municipal Services minister Shane Rattenbury.
"I use Southern Cross Drive every day so I'm aware of the concerns of residents on [that road] and also around New Macgregor and in Holt," she said.
"So I wanted to get on the front foot as far as making sure the traffic management plan for this temporary measure was put in place so their safety was taken into account."
Ms Berry said suburbs in West Belconnen had seen persistent problems with "rat-running", where truck drivers drove through small suburban streets to avoid main roads.
She said she was happy with the assurances she had received but would be keeping a close eye on the situation as it developed, as the road wasn't designed for heavy traffic.
"If a management plan is put in place that will put people at ease for the time being, but it's important that those traffic measures are put in place.and the drivers do the right thing and respect the safety of the community," she said.
Construction has been brought forward on new landfill cells at Mugga Lane to open in January, rather than May as previously planned because filling had occured earlier than expected, TAMS Business Enterprise Division Executive Director, Phillip Perram said.
There will be no changes for residents in household waste collection or how they use the Mugga Lane or Mitchell transfer stations.
The government will write to residents living along Southern Cross Drive to inform them of increased traffic due to truck activity in the area around the West Belconnen Centre.
"The interim arrangements will not have any impact on the disposal of asbestos, including from Mr Fluffy homes, as West Belconnen landfill has sufficient capacity," Mr Perram said.
Changes will take place from October 13.
TAMS is investigating why Mugga Lane has reached capacity and to determine the additional costs of using the Belconnen landfill.