Liberals stole Sorell bus solution, says Tasmanian Labor

LABOR has come out spruiking its public transport solution for Sorell a day after the Government, accusing the Liberals of stealing its policy.

Bus traffic in Elizabeth Street in Hobart. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

LABOR has come out spruiking its public transport solution for Sorell a day after the Government, accusing the Liberals of stealing its policy.

The ALP announced its $60 million All Aboard public transport policy in 2016, including a “Metro-like” service to Sorell and a target to increase bus passengers by 50 per cent.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White chose to remind voters of the policy today, a day after the Liberals announced a doubling of services from Sorell.

“The Liberals are copying us,” Ms White said.

“They’ve been in government for four years and on the eve of an election they’re now saying they’re going to improve bus services to the Sorell municipality.

“It’s a little bit of a cop-out when we’ve been raising this issue, along with constituents, with the minister’s office for a number of years now.”

Ms White said a Labor government would renegotiate bus contracts up for renewal this year to ease traffic congestion between the commuter suburb and city.

The 10-year plan also includes upgrades to the Green Card system to cover all areas of the state.

It comes alongside $18m in promised roadworks to ease congestion and a $22m investment to keep children at Sorell High School from Labor.

“People have been approaching me as their local MP with stories of children or grandchildren stranded in Hobart or Rosny between bus services, or being unable to accept casual work because the call from an employer came after the final bus left for the morning,” Ms White said.

Grandfather David Berry said he had been complaining to Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding for several years about his granddaughter getting stuck at Rosny College.

“They end up wandering around Eastlands, they could end up in trouble,” Mr Berry said.

“If the kids want to go out of an evening, they can’t go out — their parents have got to run them up to town to go to the pictures, then go back and pick them up.”