Light rail among options considered for Hobart’s congestion busting package

Hobart’s traffic-laden Davey Street was the perfect backdrop for Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge to announce “today is congestion busting day” — complete with $730 million in funding.

Minister for Cities Alan Tudge (left), Attorney General Elise Archer and Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

LIGHT rail to Hobart’s northern suburbs will be one of the options investigated as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to ease the city’s traffic bottlenecks.

Urban Infrastructure and Population Minister Alan Tudge is in Hobart today to announce a raft of measures aimed at easing traffic.

“Today is congestion busting day,” said Mr Tudge, standing beside a busy traffic-laden Davey Street.

All three tiers of Government have committed a combined $730 million, targeted at easing traffic, as a key plank of the City Deal.

Mr Tudge said $25 million would go towards creating a Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor, which would deliver housing and public transport.

Urban Infrastructure and Population Minister Alan Tudge announced a raft of measures aimed at easing traffic. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Mr Tudge said the Government would consider various modes of public transport, including light rail.

“Light rail can be investigated. That will, of course, be one of the options going forward,” he said.

“This will need to be closely looked at.”

Light rail proponents said they were disappointed there was no solid commitment to light rail from Hobart to Glenorchy.

Rail Action Group president Michael Hangan said he was confident an assessment of the needs for housing and commercial development along the corridor would back light rail.

“The rails are there and ready to go — rail is by far the smartest and most efficient use of

the corridor” Mr Hangan said.

“What we don’t want to see is more delay and years of endless studies.”

Mr Tudge said the full details of the City Deal would be unveiled Sunday when Prime Minister Scott Morrison flies into Hobart.

Traffic congestion headed south from Hobart has also been listed as a priority, with investment in a fifth lane for the Southern Outlet and an improved bus interchange at Kingston.

The Government also announced $2 million towards a Derwent Ferry Service, which was money already allocated in the State Budget for a Bellerive-to-Hobart ferry feasibility study.

State Attorney-General Elise Archer said the $2 million would deliver a report into how the ferry service should proceed.

“The State Government is committed to a ferry service,” she said.

The key plank of the congestion package is the replacement of the Bridgewater Bridge, which will receive $461 million from the Federal Government and $115 million from the State Government.

Bicycle Network Tasmania spokeswoman Alison Hetherington said the package was disappointing because cycling and walking paths missed out.

“Separated cycleways are being planned for and rolled out in other cities around Australia to help reduce traffic congestion and the same should go for Hobart,” she said.

“Investing in a separated cycleways network in Hobart and improving the Tasman Bridge for cycling and walking would go a long way to giving people transport options other than driving.”

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Independent candidate for Nelson Madeleine Ogilvie welcomed investment in Kingston public transport facilities, but said a fifth lane on the Southern Outlet would still see a build-up of traffic in Macquarie and Davey streets.

“We need to be thinking about tunnels to ease congestion points,” she said.

“If a single thing goes wrong across the city — from the bridge to the Brooker — the whole place grinds to a halt. There is still no end in sight to the traffic crisis.”