Opinion polling highlights continuing uncertainty about Bridgewater Bridge replacement

Opinion polling on a contentious bridge in southern Tasmania is yet to shed any light on what the half-a-billion dollar project should look like – or even what vehicles it will service.

GOVERNMENT opinion polling about the long-delayed Bridgewater Bridge replacement highlighted continuing uncertainty about the project, Labor says.

The EMRS telephone survey on behalf of the Department of State Growth this week asked respondents whether they supported the construction of the bridge and how many lanes it should have.

They were also asked whether the bridge should have pedestrian and cycling facilities and what the speed limit should be.

The replacement bridge was first promised to Tasmanians in the early 2000s at a cost of $150 million.

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The current budget is $576 million, funded under the federal-state Hobart City Deal.

Construction was supposed to begin last year.

Labor Infrastructure spokesman Shane Broad said the government needed to explain why it had spent taxpayer money on opinion polling for a project that was supposedly fully funded and on the way.

“The Liberals originally promised that construction on the new bridge would begin in 2019,” he said.

“Infrastructure Australia embarrassingly rejected the first business case and a new one is due by the middle of this year.

“But this polling suggests they are right back at square one.”

Mr Broad called for clarification about when the bridge would be built and how many lanes it would have.

“It is farcical, and more than a little concerning, that the public is being asked at such a late stage if they think the bridge should have two lanes or four.

“At a time when we need to be pushing ahead with productive infrastructure, it seems the Liberals are preparing to dramatically scale back the Bridgewater Bridge design.

“Michael Ferguson is displaying his trademark mismanagement yet again.”

A government spokeswoman said Labor has been given the money to build the bridge by then Prime Minister John Howard but had spent it.

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“This survey is a simple way to identify public concerns and questions, or matters of importance people in the community want to raise in regards to this important project. This will allow the Department to continue to address those matters so the community has an appropriate understanding of the project.

“This is just one more element in delivering this important and complex piece of infrastructure. The government supports the department wanting to communicate effectively with the community.