Hobart City Council set to put out draft Hobart Transport Strategy 2030 for consultation

In less than 10 years, Hobart’s public transport usage will be increased while the cost of parking your car may also go up “when it’s busy in town,” according to a new council strategy. SEE THE DETAILS >>

• Labor unveils 10-year, multibillion-dollar road plan
• Dynnyrne residents question Southern Outlet proposal

THE Hobart City Council has released its draft vision for the city’s transport strategy by 2030, which would see the creation of five new ‘transport zones’ and hints at changes to the price of parking.

The council’s city infrastructure committee meeting will consider the draft Hobart Transport Strategy 2030 Implementation Framework on Wednesday night.

It has been recommended the strategy go out for stakeholder consultation before being formally adopted.

Five new transport zones would be created as part of the Hobart Transport Strategy 2030 Implementation Framework.

A key feature of the strategy would be creating five new transport zones –

• Destinations: zone one identifies the key national and state significant destination locations, which require tailored transport access and parking which take into account tourism and events.
• Communities: zone two covers areas where residential amenity is a priority.
• Local retail precincts: zone three covers shopping precincts.
• Regional connectors: zone four identifies the main strategic arterials roads which service the region.
• Multi-function corridors: zone five covers the local arterial network.

Four new “implementation platforms” to provide direction and “desired environmental outcomes” would also include providing people with real time trip information.

“As Hobart grows, we cannot continue to invest in large road and carparking infrastructure if we want to develop a happy and healthy city,” the strategy said.

“The weakest travel system is the public transport system. This can be addressed with better service frequencies, facilities and fleets.”

The weakest travel system in Hobart is the public transport system, the strategy says.

The draft strategy included an aim to increase public transport usage to 10 per cent – up from 6.8 per cent in 2016 – plus a policy of reviewing demand for carparking in key destinations and pricing of supply accordingly.

“Parking in the city will be priced so that you understand, when it’s busy in town, you will have to pay a bit more if you want to drive your car,” the draft strategy said.

“But that won’t mean it won’t be easy to get there. At the end of your arm, your phone will let you know, when the bus is coming, where it is now, and you will have shelter and real time information whilst you wait.

“This kind of transport knowledge is actually par for the course internationally.”

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$81m promise to overhaul Tassie’s public transport system

By Annie McCann

MODERN bus shelters, a major ticketing system overhaul, new buses and added school and commuter routes will transform Tasmania, Liberal Infrastructure and Transport spokesman Michael Ferguson says.

The party has promised an $81.5m regeneration of the state’s stagnating public transport service if re-elected on May 1.

Bus traffic in the Elizabeth Street bus mall in Hobart. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

The four-year commitment would include $20m towards extra school and commuter buses on popular routes and another $20m towards four park and ride facilities in Hobart’s northern suburbs, south of Rokeby, at Sorell and in the southern beaches area.

“In particular, we will introduce new buses dedicated to increasing capacity from Kingston to the city, integrating with our new park and ride facilities at Huntingfield and Firthside,” Mr Ferguson said.

The announcement comes after months of lobbying from the community and Tasmania’s peak motoring body RACT to allocate Hobart City Deal funds towards a park and ride facility at Huntingfield.

The calls came as congestion on the Southern Outlet continues to cause headaches for Kingborough, Huon Valley and Hobart region commuters.

Traffic backs up on the Southern Outlet after another crash. Picture: PHILIP YOUNG

Mr Ferguson said the Liberals would also allocate $10m towards rebuilding the state’s ageing bus stops into “comfortable, modern shelters to protect commuters from the weather” and incentivise public transport use.

He said a $31.5m modern ticketing system would operate across all public transport platforms – including ferries – and offer real-time information.

“This will provide commuters with a seamless journey and ensure a fully integrated, intelligent transport solution for users and providers of public transport in Tasmania,” Mr Ferguson said.

“This will provide a range of potential benefits, including fare payment by credit card, phone or wearable smart devices.

“It will make it easier to transfer between services and operators, and it will facilitate innovative and tailored fares and incentivise travel.”

Liberal Infrastructure and Transport spokesman Michael Ferguson. Picture: Richard Jupe

He hoped the package would encourage more Tasmanians to opt for public transport and ease traffic congestion.

The package comes after Labor’s recent announcement of its 10-year infrastructure transport plan, which would offer $25m to a northern suburbs passenger rail as well as urban renewal development, and a two-year cycleway infrastructure revamp worth $15m.

The Liberal party’s $81.5m plan would complement the new ferry that recently joined the Bruny Island service fleet and the announcement of a free cross-Derwent ferry connecting Hobart with the Eastern Shore.

Controversy has surrounded the party’s plans to add a fifth bus and T3 lane to the Southern Outlet, which would require 19 houses to be destroyed at Dynnyrne and has left some questioning the effectiveness of the extension.