Council takes aim at city motorists with parking fee hikes and speed limit cuts

HOBART commuters would be slugged a higher fee when parking in the CBD during peak hour under a council plan to get people out of their cars and using public transport.

Heavy traffic through the Hobart CBD. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

HOBART commuters would be slugged a higher fee when parking in the CBD during peak hour under a council plan to get people out of their cars and using public transport.

The use of “pricing signals to reduce peak-hour traffic movements” is among dozens of measures in a council transport blueprint for the next decade.

The blueprint also proposes a private carpark levy on all spots in the city centre to fund pedestrian improvements, and a citywide 40km/h speed limit in residential areas.

In addition, a yet to be determined Hobart suburb would trial a UK-style “home zone” where speed limits are dropped even further — to 20km/h, in order to create “shared street zones” promoting “equal priority to all modes of transportation and pedestrian use of streets”.

Hobart City Council city infrastructure chairwoman Helen Burnet. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Hobart City Council Alderman and city infrastructure chairwoman Helen Burnet did not rule out the council considering a congestion tax, saying the council would consider all options.

“It’s not necessarily going to be that,” she said.

“We will be looking at a number of options.

“It might be in relation to where people park or on-street parking.

“There are other jurisdictions that have a toll, which is not what we are suggesting.”

Council infrastructure director Mark Painter said the pricing signal initiative could involve charging commuters a higher parking rate in the CBD during peak hour to encourage drivers to use alternative modes of transport.

The document outlines how 83 per cent of all work trips are made by car, proportionally higher than any other Australian capital city and up to 79 per cent of vehicles headed towards the Hobart CBD each morning and parked and stayed there.

It proposes park-and-ride stations in suburban centres around Hobart where commuters could park and catch public transport into the city instead of driving.

Hobart Lord Mayor Ron Christie said it was a comprehensive strategic plan, with plenty of options on the table, but that it required the support of the State Government and greater Hobart councils to make it a reality.

“The majority of traffic coming into our city is from out of town and it’s important the other councils get on board,” Ald Christie said.

At Monday night’s council meeting aldermen unanimously voted to release the draft strategy for public consultation before a final version is put to council for approval.

The draft Transport Strategy will now go out for public consultation for four weeks.

For more information visit hobartcity.com.au/transportstrategy.