Collins St bike lane trial to go ahead in March, opponents to hold public meeting
A two-year trial of separated bike lanes and other streetscape improvements on Collins St will officially begin in March – but opponents will hold a public meeting to air their concerns.
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A business group leading the charge against the Hobart City Council’s looming bike lane trial on Collins St has been given the green light to hold a public meeting in March after securing 1000 certified signatures through a petition.
The Confederation of Greater Hobart Business had hoped the meeting could be held prior to the beginning of the trial but the council was only able to verify 970 signatures against the electoral roll ahead of its meeting on January 28.
The two-year trial is set to commence in March and will see the installation of separated bike lanes between Molle and Harrington streets, as well as streetside dining between Harrington and Victoria streets.
About 30 parking spaces will be removed from Collins St, with 25 spaces to be retained, prioritising people with disability.
Confederation of Greater Hobart Business chair Edwin Johnstone says he isn’t opposed to the general concept of bike lanes but warned that the removal of parking would have negative impacts on local businesses.
He said some business owners on Collins St felt the proposal was “impractical”.
“The initial consultation was inadequate and the lack of local data to back up the council’s claims [is] non-existent,” he said.
Mr Johnstone said the public meeting would take place in March and an elector poll on the issue could still be held.
He wants the current proposal to be “scrapped” and “replaced with more practical solutions”.
“If the council is true to their word and this is a genuine trial, then feedback from stakeholders should be encouraged at any stage,” Mr Johnstone said.
Hobart City Council transport committee chair Ryan Posselt said while it was “always good to hear different opinions and perspectives”, evidence from other places had shown that interventions such as inner-city bike lanes were “good for business”.
“For me, the most frustrating or disappointing part is an unwillingness of people to consider the evidence from elsewhere that has shown that there’s either no effect on business or that it’s positive and they get an uptick from it,” he said.
“I just wish that [opponents of the trial] would have a more open mind, because they may well be campaigning against their own interests at the end of the day.”
The council intends to undertake a post-installation engagement with business owners, road users, and other stakeholders in April, with the findings to be reported in a publicly available document.
The aim of the trial is to encourage active transport and make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate the CBD.
The trial area covers a 700-metre stretch of Collins St and will also include street plantings, greening, and a new zebra crossing between Harrington and Victoria streets.
The number of people taking daily bike trips in the Hobart municipality increased by 50 per cent between 2019 and 2023, according to the Greater Hobart Household Travel Survey.
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