The State Government has announced how $20 million in Kingborough infrastructure upgrades will be spent

Six key infrastructure projects set to streamline travel from the Kingborough area to Hobart CBD have been announced as part of the Hobart City Deal. Find out how the $20 million will be spent>>

BUS stop upgrades, park and ride facilities and an expansion of bus services have been locked in as part of a “much-needed” multimillion-dollar infrastructure package for Kingborough.

As part of additional State Government funding announced for Kingborough under the Hobart City Deal, the region will see $20.8 million spent on six key infrastructure projects, in a move aimed at streamlining travel to Hobart’s CBD.

About $6.75 million will be spent on constructing park-and-ride facilities at Huntingfield and Firthside, with 200 and 50 parking spaces respectively, to encourage motorists to bus to the city.

Another $3.5 million will be spent on theexpansion of Kingborough bus services to see “better buses running more frequently”.

Bus stop upgrades throughout the municipality will cost a further $2.65 million, adding more bus shelters in the region and making sites disability accessible.

A total of $7 million is earmarked for “complimentary council initiatives” which the Kingborough Council will consider contributing towards more park and ride sites, road upgrades at central Kingston and cycle strategies.

Mayor of Kingborough, Dean Winter and Minister for State Growth Michael Ferguson. Picture: Zak Simmonds

A $100,000 Kingston Place Strategy, led by the council, aims to provide a point of reference to redesign and rebuild the region, Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter said.

“We are going to be redeveloping the central Kingston business district to make a place that people actually want to come to. Kingston has been a mess for decades,” he said.

“It’s a victim of poor planning and a lack of cohesive strategy and, at times, it’s had a disjointed relationship between the business community and council, which has to change.”

Cr Winter said a Kingston Bus Interchange development — costing $800,000 — would create “a central bus location that Kingston has never had and has always needed”.

“We could not be more excited to see these projects come to life next financial year,” he said.

“It is a much-needed and appreciated investment by the state in one of the fastest growing areas of Tasmania.”

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Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson said the projects would provide a boost for the region and improve quality of life for the local community.

“The projects are part of our overall traffic solution, supported by the RACT, and it’s about taking stress off that Southern Outlet, and it will sit well with our extra fifth lane in development,” he said.

“We need to value-add our bus service, and that’s what this package does. It’s about making it easier and more attractive to catch the bus.”

It comes as ABS data this week showed Tasmania recorded the highest vehicle registration increase of any state or territory in 2019. The 2.6 per cent rise in cars on state roads should prompt the State Government to invest widely in infrastructure projects, RACT executive general membership and community Stacey Pennicott said.